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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Popovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,324 in Popovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,766 in Popovo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Popovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Popovo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Popovo 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.64 BGN 14.38

-31.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.46 BGN 49.01

13.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.17 BGN 11.93

0.84%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.20 BGN 1.99

35.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.79 BGN 1.32

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.48 BGN 2.46

-50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.96 BGN 4.93

-41.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.18 BGN 5.30

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.13 BGN 1.89

-7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.01 BGN 1.68

27.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-14.84%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.86 BGN 3.09

22.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.00 BGN 9.98

-27.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.35 BGN 13.89

-29.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.22 BGN 22.00

-34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.19 BGN 1.98

89.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.21 BGN 2.00

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.20 BGN 1.99

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.24 BGN 3.72

-36.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.90 BGN 1.49

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.06 BGN 1.76

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 BGN 1.06

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.79 BGN 6.30

-40.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.98 BGN 9.95

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.89 BGN 1.49

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.58 BGN 0.96

310.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.71 BGN 44.44

57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.61 BGN 1.01

131.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.55 BGN 0.91

245.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.02 BGN 13.35

-3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-36.08%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$29.5K BGN 49.0K

-40.34%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.8K BGN 37.9K

16.43%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$116 BGN 193

-27.77%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.25 BGN 30.36

-48.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.44 BGN 25.68

56.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$28.94 BGN 48.14

-12.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.79 BGN 24.61

29.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.19 BGN 11.95

-42.98%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$645 BGN 1,073

-51.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,425 BGN 9,024

10.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$53.7 BGN 89.4

8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$36.65 BGN 61.0

-11.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$70.3 BGN 117

41.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$46.30 BGN 77.0

134.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$288 BGN 479

67.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$237 BGN 394

60.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$468 BGN 779

78.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$354 BGN 590

104.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,336 BGN 2,223

112.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,102 BGN 1,834

10.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,279 BGN 2,128

-57.72%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Popovo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $288 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 137% 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 $198 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 15%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,323 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $882 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 $882, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.