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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $904 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,414 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,925 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Medellin costs about 86% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Stara Zagora is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.80 BGN 17.97

-25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$52.3 BGN 87.0

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.43 BGN 15.69

4.88%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.29 BGN 3.82

36.68%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.56 BGN 2.59

22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.92 BGN 1.53

64.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.32 BGN 3.86

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.10 BGN 3.49

173.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.86 BGN 3.09

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.89 BGN 1.49

179.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.51 BGN 2.51

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.34 BGN 3.89

26.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.34 BGN 15.54

7.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.81 BGN 11.34

48.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.52 BGN 14.18

67.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.36 BGN 2.26

204.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.68 BGN 2.79

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.75 BGN 2.91

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.95 BGN 3.24

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.02 BGN 1.70

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.79 BGN 1.31

94.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.58 BGN 0.96

101.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.68 BGN 1.14

92.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.90 BGN 6.49

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.16 BGN 8.59

171.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.18 BGN 1.97

47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.79 BGN 2.97

60.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.93 BGN 1.55

31.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$18.62 BGN 30.97

332.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.68 BGN 1.13

222.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$12.02 BGN 20.00

-27.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.58 BGN 2.63

-13.29%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

-9.54%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$20.9K BGN 34.9K

70.76%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$94.5 BGN 157

87.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$14.98 BGN 24.92

-7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$12.50 BGN 20.79

137.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$27.89 BGN 46.40

60.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$21.77 BGN 36.21

-21.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.89 BGN 14.79

-25.20%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$239 BGN 397

240.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,395 BGN 3,984

283.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$31.86 BGN 53.0

180.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$19.81 BGN 32.95

197.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$65.6 BGN 109

110.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$52.8 BGN 87.9

93.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$299 BGN 497

255.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$263 BGN 438

151.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$516 BGN 858

266.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$407 BGN 677

152.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,496 BGN 2,488

179.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,101 BGN 1,831

52.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,086 BGN 1,807

-37.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.99

265.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $299 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 60% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $52.0 in Stara Zagora. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $199 in Stara Zagora – so Stara Zagora wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 86%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,356 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $52.0 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $904 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 $904, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.