Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sliven Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sliven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $794 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $1,270 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,746 in Sliven, rent included.

Medellin costs about 104% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Sliven is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.8K

$11.92 BGN 19.82

-35.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 139.8K

$35.70 BGN 59.4

21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$10.70 BGN 17.80

-11.21%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 9,077

$1.83 BGN 3.05

53.55%

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

$1.84 COP 5,930

$1.32 BGN 2.20

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,868

$0.89 BGN 1.48

69.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,964

$1.73 BGN 2.88

78.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.7K

$2.28 BGN 3.80

140.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,343

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,448

$0.83 BGN 1.38

178.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,747

$2.75 BGN 4.58

-46.55%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,683

$2.24 BGN 3.72

20.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.7K

$8.25 BGN 13.73

7.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 34.4K

$5.67 BGN 9.43

87.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 46.8K

$6.84 BGN 11.39

111.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.1K

$1.43 BGN 2.37

162.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,480

$1.69 BGN 2.81

-17.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,179

$1.44 BGN 2.39

54.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,398

$2.29 BGN 3.82

-13.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,638

$0.49 BGN 0.81

318.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,169

$0.91 BGN 1.51

75.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,366

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,099

$0.51 BGN 0.85

149.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 12.1K

$3.70 BGN 6.16

1.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 42.3K

$6.13 BGN 10.20

113.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,094

$1.03 BGN 1.71

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,754

$1.31 BGN 2.17

130.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,774

$0.69 BGN 1.15

69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 245.4K

$36.54 BGN 60.8

107.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,856

$1.17 BGN 1.94

28.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,739

$0.56 BGN 0.94

273.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 26.2K

$8.96 BGN 14.91

-9.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,079

$1.52 BGN 2.52

-17.11%

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

$26.9K COP 86.9M

$30.9K BGN 51.4K

-12.87%

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

$34.9K COP 112.7M

$23.0K BGN 38.3K

51.62%

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

$148 COP 479.2K

$88.8 BGN 148

67.11%

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

$13.03 COP 42.1K

$20.81 BGN 34.61

-37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 101.7K

$9.69 BGN 16.11

224.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 147.0K

$23.73 BGN 39.47

91.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 55.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 20.4K

$5.76 BGN 9.59

9.72%

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

$837 COP 2.7M

$529 BGN 880

58.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 28.0M

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

31.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 286.9K

$59.6 BGN 99.1

49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 177.5K

$23.74 BGN 39.49

131.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 434.4K

$71.2 BGN 118

88.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.0K

$62.7 BGN 104

72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$233 BGN 387

303.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$146 BGN 244

341.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.3M

$342 BGN 569

467.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

$261 BGN 435

330.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.8M

$1,136 BGN 1,889

220.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

$936 BGN 1,557

65.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

$1,330 BGN 2,212

-52.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

2.87

263.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Sliven: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $233 in Sliven. 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 112% higher in Sliven, 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 $43.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Sliven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $185 – making Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 104%, 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 $2,427 per month in Medellin and $1,191 in Sliven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sliven, 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 $43.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Sliven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,618 in Medellin and $794 in Sliven. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sliven, where all-in costs run around $794, than in Medellin at $1,618. In Sliven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sliven – 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 Sliven. 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.