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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,373 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,132 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,892 in Sofia, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sofia is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$11.89 BGN 19.78

-49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$50.6 BGN 84.2

-35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$8.76 BGN 14.57

-19.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.60 BGN 4.32

-34.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.43 BGN 2.38

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.93 BGN 4.88

-42.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.23 BGN 5.37

-4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.94 BGN 3.23

-43.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.20 BGN 2.00

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-30.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$3.82 BGN 6.35

-42.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.54 BGN 20.86

-64.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$8.74 BGN 14.55

-35.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$13.29 BGN 22.11

-33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.90 BGN 3.16

23.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.90 BGN 3.16

-44.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$2.00 BGN 3.33

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.84 BGN 4.73

-51.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.10 BGN 1.83

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.02 BGN 1.69

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.18 BGN 1.96

-24.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.66 BGN 1.10

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.81 BGN 6.33

-40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.65 BGN 12.73

39.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.09 BGN 1.82

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.79 BGN 2.98

37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$29.72 BGN 49.45

39.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.49 BGN 2.48

-1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.76 BGN 1.27

157.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$14.34 BGN 23.86

-46.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-37.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-44.18%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

-6.77%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$154 BGN 256

-46.60%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$18.05 BGN 30.04

-47.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$14.97 BGN 24.90

61.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$44.03 BGN 73.3

-41.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$21.88 BGN 36.40

-13.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$9.24 BGN 15.37

-57.47%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$624 BGN 1,037

-50.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

-36.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$71.3 BGN 119

-17.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$35.76 BGN 59.5

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$105 BGN 175

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$119 BGN 198

-8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$696 BGN 1,157

-31.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$501 BGN 834

-24.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,296 BGN 2,157

-35.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$910 BGN 1,513

-20.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$4,510 BGN 7,502

-38.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,161 BGN 5,258

-61.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,674 BGN 2,786

-69.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $696 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 227% 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 $51.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $261 – 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 36%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,060 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 $51.0 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,373 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 $1,013, than in Sofia at $1,373. 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.