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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,084 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,336 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Plovdiv 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.06 BGN 15.07

-34.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$48.11 BGN 80.0

-31.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.35 BGN 13.90

-11.02%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-32.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.48 BGN 2.47

-25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.98 BGN 4.96

-42.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.97 BGN 4.95

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.74 BGN 2.90

-36.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.01 BGN 1.68

24.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.14 BGN 3.56

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.48 BGN 5.79

-37.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.61 BGN 19.31

-61.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.57 BGN 12.59

-23.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.95 BGN 19.88

-24.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.55 BGN 2.59

49.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.67 BGN 2.77

-8.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.46 BGN 4.09

-44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.98 BGN 1.64

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.10 BGN 1.84

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.10 BGN 1.83

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.82 BGN 1.36

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.57 BGN 5.94

-37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.49 BGN 10.80

86.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.03 BGN 1.72

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.73 BGN 2.88

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.61 BGN 1.02

39.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$28.41 BGN 47.26

46.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.20 BGN 2.00

18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.62 BGN 1.02

214.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$10.51 BGN 17.49

-24.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-34.44%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

-44.91%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.8K BGN 48.0K

-7.07%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$94.5 BGN 157

-12.14%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.15 BGN 30.19

-46.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$14.95 BGN 24.88

57.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.16 BGN 61.8

-32.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.77 BGN 24.58

29.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-56.59%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$427 BGN 710

-25.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,070 BGN 11.8K

-15.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$61.4 BGN 102

-2.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$34.91 BGN 58.1

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$98.0 BGN 163

3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$107 BGN 178

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$474 BGN 789

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$342 BGN 568

9.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$833 BGN 1,385

1.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$599 BGN 997

20.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,292 BGN 3,812

42.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,558 BGN 2,591

-7.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,151 BGN 1,914

-45.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $474 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 84% 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 $48.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $236 – 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 8%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,626 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 $48.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,084 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 $1,003, than in Plovdiv at $1,084. 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.