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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $772 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,220 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Sliven, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sliven are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sliven 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.00 BGN 15.03

-34.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.73 BGN 59.7

-8.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.30 BGN 13.87

-13.25%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.83 BGN 3.06

-7.10%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.27 BGN 2.12

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-20.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.75 BGN 2.93

-4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.30 BGN 3.84

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.79 BGN 1.32

58.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.14 BGN 3.57

-35.05%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.25 BGN 3.75

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.35 BGN 13.94

-48.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.44 BGN 9.09

7.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.74 BGN 11.25

31.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.43 BGN 2.39

56.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.64 BGN 2.74

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.43 BGN 2.39

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.18 BGN 3.64

-37.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.52 BGN 0.87

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.86 BGN 1.44

30.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.51 BGN 0.85

78.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.50 BGN 5.84

-33.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.41 BGN 10.71

73.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.03 BGN 1.73

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.26 BGN 2.11

88.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.69 BGN 1.15

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$35.84 BGN 59.9

14.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.21 BGN 2.03

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.72 BGN 1.21

165.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.69 BGN 14.51

-7.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.43 BGN 2.39

-34.27%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

-43.73%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.8K BGN 46.4K

-3.67%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$87.0 BGN 145

-3.44%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.56 BGN 29.32

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$9.50 BGN 15.86

154.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$23.89 BGN 39.89

8.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.06 BGN 25.15

26.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.82 BGN 9.72

-32.65%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$417 BGN 697

-26.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,110 BGN 11.9K

-16.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$57.9 BGN 96.7

0.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.94 BGN 39.97

32.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$71.5 BGN 119

39.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$62.4 BGN 104

71.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$234 BGN 390

108.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$148 BGN 246

149.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$344 BGN 575

139.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$267 BGN 445

168.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,172 BGN 1,957

149.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$953 BGN 1,592

47.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,374 BGN 2,294

-60.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.25

216.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sliven: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $234 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 152% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Sliven. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $181 in Sliven – so Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,158 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 $33.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $772 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 $772, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.