Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Smolyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Smolyan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $751 in Smolyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,188 in Smolyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,625 in Smolyan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Smolyan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Smolyan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Smolyan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.35 BGN 10.56

-6.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.53 BGN 64.1

-13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.83 BGN 9.71

24.01%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.31 BGN 2.18

24.43%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.29 BGN 2.15

-15.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.00 BGN 1.66

-27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.76 BGN 2.92

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.15 BGN 3.58

50.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.73 BGN 2.88

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.93 BGN 1.54

38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.72 BGN 2.87

-23.26%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.64 BGN 6.06

-37.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.77 BGN 17.91

-59.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.07 BGN 10.10

-3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.11 BGN 15.15

-5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.15 BGN 1.91

95.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.82 BGN 3.02

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.16 BGN 1.93

31.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.40 BGN 3.99

-40.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.17 BGN 1.94

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-25.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 BGN 0.96

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.53 BGN 5.87

-36.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.91 BGN 9.84

86.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.58 BGN 0.96

96.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.66 BGN 2.77

43.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$34.01 BGN 56.6

23.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.20 BGN 2.00

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.54 BGN 0.90

251.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$11.76 BGN 19.57

-34.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-35.67%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

-24.39%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.3K BGN 40.5K

8.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$117 BGN 194

-28.26%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.40 BGN 27.29

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.40 BGN 15.64

156.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.99 BGN 38.25

10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.72 BGN 24.49

30.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.13 BGN 11.87

-42.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$326 BGN 543

-4.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,464 BGN 9,089

9.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$29.11 BGN 48.44

99.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$22.40 BGN 37.27

45.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$61.0 BGN 101

63.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$63.9 BGN 106

69.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$209 BGN 347

131.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$145 BGN 241

161.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$290 BGN 482

188.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$248 BGN 413

191.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,327 BGN 2,208

113.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,115 BGN 1,855

9.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$717 BGN 1,192

-24.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.5

198.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Smolyan: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $209 in Smolyan. 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 33% higher in Smolyan, 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 $39.00 in Smolyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $207 – making Medellin 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 Smolyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,126 in Smolyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Smolyan, 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 $39.00 in Smolyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $751 in Smolyan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Smolyan, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Smolyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Smolyan – 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 Smolyan. 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.