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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $943 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,474 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,005 in Shumen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Shumen is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.72 BGN 16.18

-17.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$35.07 BGN 58.3

36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.12 BGN 15.17

8.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.81 BGN 3.00

72.93%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.47 BGN 2.44

29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.05 BGN 1.74

43.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.91 BGN 4.83

7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.90 BGN 4.82

98.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.91 BGN 3.17

-24.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.12 BGN 1.86

122.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.60 BGN 4.33

-31.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.98 BGN 4.96

-0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.57 BGN 15.91

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.06 BGN 8.42

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.18 BGN 15.27

55.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.56 BGN 2.60

165.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.12 BGN 3.53

-24.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.19 BGN 3.64

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.09 BGN 3.47

-2.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.32 BGN 2.20

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.83 BGN 1.38

40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.78 BGN 1.31

67.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.74 BGN 6.22

4.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.18 BGN 11.95

95.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.99 BGN 1.65

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.46 BGN 2.44

96.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.92 BGN 1.53

32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$26.37 BGN 43.86

205.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.79 BGN 2.98

-26.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.52 BGN 0.86

321.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-13.29%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$31.9K BGN 53.0K

-12.61%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$23.1K BGN 38.5K

54.67%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$136 BGN 226

30.53%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$18.06 BGN 30.05

-23.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.42 BGN 28.98

70.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$40.40 BGN 67.2

11.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$11.74 BGN 19.53

45.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$6.99 BGN 11.62

-4.86%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$588 BGN 979

38.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

-12.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.68 BGN 82.6

80.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$51.8 BGN 86.2

13.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$94.2 BGN 157

46.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$63.7 BGN 106

60.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$276 BGN 459

284.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$186 BGN 310

256.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$439 BGN 730

330.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$341 BGN 567

201.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,261 BGN 2,098

231.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,030 BGN 1,714

62.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,035 BGN 1,722

-34.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.25

236.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shumen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $276 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 53% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $219 – making Shumen 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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,414 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $943 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 $943, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.