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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Popovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,339 in Popovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,801 in Popovo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Popovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Popovo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Popovo 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.99 BGN 15.02

-34.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$29.33 BGN 48.98

11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.27 BGN 12.15

-0.96%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.15 BGN 1.92

47.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.79 BGN 1.32

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.41 BGN 2.35

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.89 BGN 4.83

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.31 BGN 5.53

-6.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.10 BGN 1.83

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.03 BGN 1.72

21.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-10.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.93 BGN 3.22

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.74 BGN 9.59

-24.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.76 BGN 14.63

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.94 BGN 21.60

-31.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.16 BGN 1.94

93.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.19 BGN 1.99

-9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.16 BGN 1.94

31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.21 BGN 3.70

-38.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.96 BGN 1.61

17.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.04 BGN 1.74

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.60 BGN 1.01

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.80 BGN 6.35

-38.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.36 BGN 12.30

51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.85 BGN 1.42

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.57 BGN 0.95

315.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.90 BGN 1.50

-12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$26.72 BGN 44.63

53.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.61 BGN 1.02

136.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.54 BGN 0.91

253.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.24 BGN 13.77

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.58 BGN 2.64

-40.51%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$29.6K BGN 49.5K

-39.52%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$22.3K BGN 37.2K

20.13%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$116 BGN 194

-27.82%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.83 BGN 29.78

-46.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.44 BGN 25.78

56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.36 BGN 49.03

-11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$14.91 BGN 24.90

27.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.15 BGN 11.95

-45.17%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$628 BGN 1,049

-51.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,379 BGN 8,983

10.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$52.8 BGN 88.2

9.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.14 BGN 60.4

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$70.2 BGN 117

42.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$46.90 BGN 78.3

128.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$290 BGN 484

67.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$235 BGN 393

56.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$478 BGN 797

72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$358 BGN 598

100.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,583 BGN 2,644

84.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,081 BGN 1,805

30.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,326 BGN 2,215

-58.86%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Popovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $290 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 143% 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 $29.00 in Popovo. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $200 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 18%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,314 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 $29.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $876 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 $876, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.