Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shumen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shumen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $878 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,375 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,872 in Shumen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Shumen 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.76 BGN 16.30

-39.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$30.01 BGN 50.1

9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.66 BGN 14.47

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.66 BGN 2.77

2.41%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.70 BGN 1.16

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.98 BGN 3.31

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.37 BGN 3.95

30.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.68 BGN 2.81

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.96 BGN 1.60

30.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.87 BGN 3.13

-25.67%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.02 BGN 5.04

-25.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.69 BGN 16.19

-55.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.90 BGN 9.85

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.53 BGN 19.26

-23.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.75 BGN 2.93

28.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.07 BGN 3.46

-47.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.05 BGN 3.42

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.28 BGN 3.81

-39.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.97 BGN 1.62

-12.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.79 BGN 1.31

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.63 BGN 6.07

-35.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.27 BGN 12.15

53.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.00 BGN 1.67

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.62 BGN 2.70

46.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.89 BGN 1.48

-11.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$26.38 BGN 44.06

55.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.26 BGN 2.10

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.31 BGN 0.51

516.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$13.29 BGN 22.20

-39.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.49 BGN 2.49

-36.91%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.6K BGN 54.5K

-45.04%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.6K BGN 42.8K

4.47%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$95.1 BGN 159

-11.75%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.85 BGN 28.14

-43.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.05 BGN 23.46

71.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.44 BGN 65.9

-34.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$11.87 BGN 19.82

60.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.17 BGN 11.98

-45.33%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$235 BGN 392

30.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$10.6K BGN 17.7K

-44.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$54.6 BGN 91.2

6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$41.70 BGN 69.6

-23.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.4 BGN 139

19.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.4 BGN 121

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$278 BGN 464

75.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$189 BGN 315

95.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$494 BGN 826

67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$324 BGN 541

121.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,299 BGN 2,169

125.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,039 BGN 1,735

35.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,053 BGN 1,759

-48.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.57

193.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shumen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $278 in Shumen. 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 93% higher in Shumen, 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 Shumen. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $223 in Shumen – 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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,317 in Shumen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, 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 Shumen. 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 $878 in Shumen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Shumen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shumen – 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 Shumen. 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.