Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $846 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,814 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Stara Zagora 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.10 BGN 15.13

-32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$35.43 BGN 58.9

-7.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.16 BGN 15.23

-19.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.91 BGN 3.18

-9.95%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-17.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.73 BGN 1.22

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.20 BGN 2.00

40.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.04 BGN 3.40

55.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.82 BGN 1.37

58.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.55 BGN 2.58

-9.68%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.13 BGN 15.19

-51.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.36 BGN 12.25

-20.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.49 BGN 14.12

1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.37 BGN 2.28

66.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-33.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.01 BGN 1.69

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.81 BGN 1.35

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.56 BGN 0.93

51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.71 BGN 1.19

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.92 BGN 6.52

-40.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.31 BGN 8.84

132.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.23 BGN 2.05

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.16 BGN 3.60

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.02 BGN 31.65

113.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.34 BGN 2.23

5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.67 BGN 1.12

186.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$11.59 BGN 19.27

-33.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.49 BGN 2.47

-33.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.8K BGN 41.3K

-27.41%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$17.4K BGN 29.0K

52.70%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$101 BGN 169

-20.35%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.19 BGN 25.26

-34.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$11.35 BGN 18.88

113.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$19.34 BGN 32.17

29.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.37 BGN 28.90

10.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.88 BGN 13.11

-49.49%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$232 BGN 386

31.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,400 BGN 3,993

152.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$38.78 BGN 64.5

49.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.03 BGN 31.65

69.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$77.9 BGN 130

29.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$75.2 BGN 125

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$248 BGN 413

92.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$226 BGN 376

66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$399 BGN 664

111.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$356 BGN 592

105.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,497 BGN 2,490

114.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,082 BGN 1,800

26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$1,044 BGN 1,737

-40.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.4

295.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $248 in Stara Zagora. 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 69% higher in Stara Zagora, 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $204 – 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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,269 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stara Zagora, 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora. 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 $846 in Stara Zagora. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Stara Zagora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stara Zagora – 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 Stara Zagora. 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.