Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sofia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sofia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,143 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,922 in Sofia, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Sofia is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.72 BGN 19.51

-47.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$49.80 BGN 82.8

-34.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.77 BGN 14.59

-16.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.63 BGN 4.38

-34.60%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.78 BGN 2.96

-41.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.42 BGN 2.36

-45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.96 BGN 4.92

-42.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.27 BGN 5.43

-3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.86 BGN 3.09

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.20 BGN 2.00

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-29.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.96 BGN 6.58

-45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.18 BGN 20.26

-63.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.72 BGN 14.51

-32.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$12.98 BGN 21.60

-33.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.91 BGN 3.18

19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-43.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-23.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.75 BGN 4.57

-50.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.12 BGN 1.86

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.05 BGN 1.75

7.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.66 BGN 1.10

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.87 BGN 6.43

-39.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.39 BGN 12.29

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.10 BGN 1.83

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.83 BGN 3.04

36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$29.45 BGN 48.99

37.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.45 BGN 2.40

-2.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.78 BGN 1.30

146.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$14.34 BGN 23.86

-46.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.57 BGN 2.62

-36.94%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

-43.76%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

-8.28%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$150 BGN 249

-46.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.78 BGN 29.57

-44.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.40 BGN 25.62

57.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$43.98 BGN 73.2

-42.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.48 BGN 35.73

-10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.61 BGN 15.98

-58.58%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$642 BGN 1,068

-52.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

-34.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$71.9 BGN 120

-19.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.78 BGN 59.5

-10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$107 BGN 178

-5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$119 BGN 198

-9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$695 BGN 1,156

-31.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$504 BGN 838

-25.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,257 BGN 2,091

-32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$893 BGN 1,485

-18.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,422 BGN 7,356

-27.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$3,336 BGN 5,550

-58.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,674 BGN 2,785

-63.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.09

334.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $695 in Sofia. 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 171% higher in Sofia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $259 – 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 Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,047 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $50.0 in Sofia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,365 in Sofia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Sofia at $1,365. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.