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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $889 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,376 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Shumen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Shumen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.49 BGN 15.80

-37.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$29.38 BGN 48.87

12.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.66 BGN 14.41

-14.20%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-2.94%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.37 BGN 2.28

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.71 BGN 1.19

9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.33 BGN 3.87

36.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.64 BGN 2.73

-32.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.95 BGN 1.59

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.91 BGN 3.18

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.08 BGN 5.12

-29.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.41 BGN 15.66

-52.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.63 BGN 9.37

2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.73 BGN 19.51

-23.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.76 BGN 2.93

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-48.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.06 BGN 3.42

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.25 BGN 3.74

-39.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.45 BGN 2.42

-22.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-12.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.93 BGN 1.54

-3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.79 BGN 1.31

13.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.57 BGN 5.94

-37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.22 BGN 12.00

67.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.93 BGN 1.55

27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.61 BGN 2.68

54.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$26.71 BGN 44.44

55.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.25 BGN 2.08

13.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.31 BGN 0.51

529.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$13.36 BGN 22.22

-40.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.49 BGN 2.47

-33.56%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.0K BGN 53.2K

-44.92%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

6.42%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$96.4 BGN 160

-13.85%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.33 BGN 27.16

-40.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$13.90 BGN 23.13

69.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$39.73 BGN 66.1

-36.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.67 BGN 19.41

63.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.94 BGN 11.54

-43.08%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$237 BGN 394

33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

-43.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$54.5 BGN 90.6

10.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.57 BGN 69.2

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$83.1 BGN 138

22.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$72.2 BGN 120

48.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$272 BGN 452

74.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$189 BGN 314

97.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$508 BGN 844

67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$326 BGN 542

120.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,289 BGN 2,144

153.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,017 BGN 1,691

41.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,034 BGN 1,719

-39.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shumen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $272 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 66% 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 $29.00 in Shumen. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $221 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 13%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,334 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 $29.00 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $889 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 $889, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.