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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $872 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,388 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,903 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$9.76 BGN 16.24

-38.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$29.12 BGN 48.45

12.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$9.09 BGN 15.13

-18.37%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.71 BGN 2.84

-3.51%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.33 BGN 2.22

-19.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.71 BGN 1.18

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$2.08 BGN 3.46

-17.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.27 BGN 3.78

40.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.62 BGN 2.70

-35.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.94 BGN 1.57

39.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.97 BGN 3.27

-31.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.06 BGN 5.10

-28.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$9.16 BGN 15.24

-51.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$5.67 BGN 9.43

0.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$11.44 BGN 19.03

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.71 BGN 2.85

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-47.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.09 BGN 3.47

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.33 BGN 3.88

-41.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-11.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.93 BGN 1.55

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.80 BGN 1.33

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.58 BGN 5.95

-36.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$7.46 BGN 12.41

55.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.00 BGN 1.67

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.60 BGN 2.66

55.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$26.10 BGN 43.42

56.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.25 BGN 2.08

17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.31 BGN 0.51

519.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$12.97 BGN 21.57

-40.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.49 BGN 2.48

-32.21%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$32.6K BGN 54.3K

-45.91%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

2.65%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$94.7 BGN 158

-14.39%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$16.37 BGN 27.23

-42.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$13.71 BGN 22.80

74.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$39.89 BGN 66.4

-34.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$11.60 BGN 19.30

61.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.07 BGN 11.76

-42.15%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$236 BGN 393

33.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$10.5K BGN 17.5K

-42.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$55.5 BGN 92.3

7.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$41.49 BGN 69.0

-22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$80.7 BGN 134

25.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$70.5 BGN 117

49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$277 BGN 460

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$194 BGN 322

88.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$510 BGN 848

62.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$329 BGN 547

122.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,291 BGN 2,147

131.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,045 BGN 1,738

25.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,052 BGN 1,750

-47.64%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Shumen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $277 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 91% 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 – $190 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 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,309 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $872 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 $872, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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.