Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Popovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Popovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $877 in Popovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Popovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,772 in Popovo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Popovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Popovo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Popovo 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.00 BGN 14.97

-34.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$30.08 BGN 50.0

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.97 BGN 11.59

6.60%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.21 BGN 2.02

36.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.74 BGN 1.23

48.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.40 BGN 2.34

-44.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.98 BGN 4.95

-42.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.17 BGN 5.27

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.11 BGN 1.85

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.03 BGN 1.71

22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-12.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.83 BGN 3.04

19.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.01 BGN 10.01

-25.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$8.36 BGN 13.90

-30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.04 BGN 21.69

-31.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.16 BGN 1.92

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.16 BGN 1.93

31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.13 BGN 3.55

-36.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.90 BGN 1.49

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.01 BGN 1.68

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.65 BGN 1.08

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.72 BGN 6.19

-40.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.21 BGN 10.33

95.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.91 BGN 1.51

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.61 BGN 1.02

306.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.89 BGN 1.48

-4.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$26.05 BGN 43.34

59.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.56 BGN 0.94

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.51 BGN 0.85

282.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.18 BGN 13.61

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.56 BGN 2.59

-36.54%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$29.8K BGN 49.5K

-40.87%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.2K BGN 36.9K

20.71%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$118 BGN 196

-29.65%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.96 BGN 29.88

-45.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.20 BGN 25.28

54.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.02 BGN 49.94

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$14.60 BGN 24.29

30.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.15 BGN 11.89

-44.76%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$624 BGN 1,038

-49.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,422 BGN 9,019

10.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$53.1 BGN 88.3

13.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$36.45 BGN 60.6

-12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$71.2 BGN 118

42.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$46.97 BGN 78.1

128.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$292 BGN 485

62.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$234 BGN 389

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$479 BGN 796

77.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$351 BGN 584

104.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,196 BGN 1,989

173.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$980 BGN 1,631

46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,279 BGN 2,127

-51.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.09

334.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Popovo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $292 in Popovo. 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 105% higher in Popovo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Popovo. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $196 in Popovo – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Popovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,316 in Popovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Popovo, 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 $30.00 in Popovo. 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 $877 in Popovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Popovo, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Popovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popovo – 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 Popovo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.