Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ruse Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ruse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $949 in Ruse, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,457 in Ruse, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Ruse, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Ruse, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ruse are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ruse 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$10.77 BGN 17.91

-44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$34.76 BGN 57.8

-4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.73 BGN 12.86

-7.89%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$1.66 BGN 2.76

3.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$1.72 BGN 2.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.00 BGN 4.99

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$1.72 BGN 2.87

-38.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$1.01 BGN 1.68

29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$2.06 BGN 3.43

-35.44%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$2.65 BGN 4.40

-13.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$9.38 BGN 15.61

-52.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$7.76 BGN 12.90

-23.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$13.39 BGN 22.27

-35.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$1.46 BGN 2.43

60.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$1.88 BGN 3.14

-41.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-34.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$1.10 BGN 1.83

6.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$1.01 BGN 1.68

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$1.23 BGN 2.04

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$0.70 BGN 1.17

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$3.47 BGN 5.76

-32.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$6.30 BGN 10.48

89.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$1.10 BGN 1.83

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$1.15 BGN 1.91

110.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

$15.97 BGN 26.57

155.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$1.51 BGN 2.52

-6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$0.62 BGN 1.03

208.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$10.49 BGN 17.45

-25.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-37.33%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-44.17%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$28.3K BGN 47.1K

-4.41%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$102 BGN 169

-18.22%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$17.31 BGN 28.80

-44.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$14.87 BGN 24.74

62.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$32.25 BGN 53.7

-21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

$8.63 BGN 14.35

123.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$5.97 BGN 9.93

-31.83%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$630 BGN 1,048

-51.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$9,154 BGN 15.2K

-34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$52.4 BGN 87.2

14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$28.92 BGN 48.11

12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$72.4 BGN 120

39.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$88.3 BGN 147

22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$288 BGN 480

65.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$238 BGN 395

59.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$532 BGN 885

53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$402 BGN 669

75.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,627 BGN 2,707

96.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,165 BGN 1,937

24.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$988 BGN 1,644

-37.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.1

333.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ruse: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $288 in Ruse. 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 59% higher in Ruse, 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 $35.00 in Ruse. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $229 – 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 Ruse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,424 in Ruse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ruse, 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 $35.00 in Ruse. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $949 in Ruse. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ruse, where all-in costs run around $949, than in Medellin at $1,018. In Ruse it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ruse – 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 Ruse. 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.