Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Plovdiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Plovdiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,074 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,715 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,356 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.61 BGN 14.38

-31.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$47.26 BGN 78.9

-30.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.39 BGN 14.02

-14.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.39 BGN 3.99

-28.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.45 BGN 2.43

-24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.87 BGN 1.46

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.98 BGN 4.98

-43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.94 BGN 4.91

5.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.07 BGN 1.78

16.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.21 BGN 3.69

-37.10%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.41 BGN 5.70

-33.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$11.65 BGN 19.46

-62.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.55 BGN 12.61

-22.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.37 BGN 20.66

-28.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.50 BGN 2.51

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.68 BGN 2.80

-35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.61 BGN 2.69

-4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.57 BGN 4.29

-46.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.03 BGN 1.72

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.10 BGN 1.84

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.05 BGN 1.76

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.76 BGN 1.28

19.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.64 BGN 6.07

-35.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.10 BGN 11.86

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.03 BGN 1.72

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.73 BGN 2.89

36.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.62 BGN 1.03

27.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$28.20 BGN 47.10

45.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.21 BGN 2.02

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.61 BGN 1.02

213.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$10.47 BGN 17.49

-23.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.57 BGN 2.62

-40.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

-43.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.1K BGN 46.9K

-4.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$94.6 BGN 158

-11.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.76 BGN 29.67

-45.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.25 BGN 25.46

58.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.68 BGN 62.9

-31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.03 BGN 25.10

26.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.04 BGN 15.09

-56.64%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$427 BGN 713

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,075 BGN 11.8K

-16.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$61.0 BGN 102

-5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.05 BGN 60.2

-11.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$102 BGN 170

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$106 BGN 177

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$482 BGN 805

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$343 BGN 572

7.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$821 BGN 1,371

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$602 BGN 1,005

19.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,400 BGN 4,009

21.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,560 BGN 2,605

-9.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,142 BGN 1,908

-52.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.49

199.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $482 in Plovdiv. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 109% higher in Plovdiv, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $239 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plovdiv is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,611 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $47.00 in Plovdiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,074 in Plovdiv. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Plovdiv at $1,074. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.