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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $864 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,796 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Stara Zagora 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.82 BGN 14.68

-32.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$34.74 BGN 57.8

-5.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.99 BGN 14.95

-21.13%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.87 BGN 3.11

-8.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.27 BGN 2.11

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.73 BGN 1.22

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.17 BGN 1.94

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.02 BGN 3.35

51.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.86 BGN 3.09

-41.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.78 BGN 1.29

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.54 BGN 2.56

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.25 BGN 3.74

-2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.15 BGN 15.21

-51.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.52 BGN 12.51

-25.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.65 BGN 14.39

2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.37 BGN 2.27

70.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-20.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.14 BGN 3.55

-35.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.01 BGN 1.67

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.85 BGN 1.42

36.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.57 BGN 0.95

56.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.75 BGN 1.24

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.84 BGN 6.39

-40.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.34 BGN 8.88

99.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.17 BGN 3.62

13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.92 BGN 1.54

-6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$18.95 BGN 31.52

118.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.38 BGN 2.29

6.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.70 BGN 1.17

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.66 BGN 19.39

-33.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-38.31%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$24.7K BGN 41.0K

-26.45%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$17.9K BGN 29.8K

47.65%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$104 BGN 173

-20.77%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.07 BGN 25.06

-36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$11.04 BGN 18.36

119.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$19.66 BGN 32.70

31.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$17.48 BGN 29.08

8.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.78 BGN 12.94

-49.49%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$232 BGN 386

33.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,361 BGN 3,927

152.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$38.22 BGN 63.6

53.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$18.85 BGN 31.36

71.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$76.1 BGN 127

34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$75.7 BGN 126

43.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$244 BGN 406

95.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$232 BGN 386

63.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$399 BGN 663

110.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$368 BGN 612

96.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,508 BGN 2,508

85.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,120 BGN 1,863

8.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,062 BGN 1,767

-51.81%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $244 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 108% 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: $188 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 17%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,296 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $864 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 $864, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.