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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $1,366 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $2,141 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $2,916 in Sofia, rent included.

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

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Sofia is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$12.01 BGN 19.94

-48.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$49.82 BGN 82.7

-33.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$8.76 BGN 14.54

-16.44%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.67 BGN 4.43

-37.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$1.41 BGN 2.34

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$3.00 BGN 4.98

-43.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$3.19 BGN 5.30

-0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-43.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.18 BGN 1.96

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.99 BGN 3.30

-30.65%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$3.88 BGN 6.44

-42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$12.58 BGN 20.89

-65.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$8.69 BGN 14.43

-33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$13.28 BGN 22.04

-32.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.91 BGN 3.18

18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.88 BGN 3.12

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$2.01 BGN 3.33

-27.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$2.76 BGN 4.57

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$1.11 BGN 1.84

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.05 BGN 1.75

10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$1.21 BGN 2.01

-26.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.68 BGN 1.13

27.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$3.91 BGN 6.50

-39.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$7.49 BGN 12.43

44.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.04 BGN 1.73

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.80 BGN 2.99

37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.92 BGN 1.52

-14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$29.01 BGN 48.16

40.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.43 BGN 2.37

-0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.73 BGN 1.21

161.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$14.05 BGN 23.32

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-37.42%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$31.9K BGN 52.9K

-43.20%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$29.2K BGN 48.4K

-9.80%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$153 BGN 253

-46.71%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$17.79 BGN 29.53

-45.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$15.49 BGN 25.72

57.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$44.15 BGN 73.3

-41.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$21.64 BGN 35.93

-12.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$9.33 BGN 15.49

-58.31%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$632 BGN 1,049

-51.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$9,062 BGN 15.0K

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$72.0 BGN 119

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$36.89 BGN 61.2

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$105 BGN 175

-3.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$116 BGN 193

-7.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$690 BGN 1,146

-31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$514 BGN 854

-27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$1,271 BGN 2,110

-33.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$900 BGN 1,495

-20.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$4,288 BGN 7,119

-33.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,986 BGN 4,956

-53.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$1,705 BGN 2,830

-68.24%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sofia: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $690 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 215% 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 in Medellin versus $50 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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 35%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $2,049 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 $1,014 in Medellin and $1,366 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 $1,014, than in Sofia at $1,366. 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.