Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sunny Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sunny Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,118 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,665 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,212 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sunny Beach are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sunny Beach 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$8.09 BGN 13.45

-25.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$40.87 BGN 68.0

-19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$10.16 BGN 16.89

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-13.16%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$1.31 BGN 2.18

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.01 BGN 1.68

-24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.73 BGN 2.88

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.73 BGN 2.88

84.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.00 BGN 3.32

-47.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.57 BGN 0.95

129.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-53.47%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.77 BGN 6.28

-41.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$13.03 BGN 21.67

-66.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$8.29 BGN 13.79

-31.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$13.10 BGN 21.79

-34.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.66 BGN 2.76

40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$2.23 BGN 3.71

-50.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.80 BGN 2.99

-15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.75 BGN 4.57

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.37 BGN 2.28

-13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-34.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.79 BGN 1.32

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$3.64 BGN 6.05

-37.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$6.06 BGN 10.08

91.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.17 BGN 1.95

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.69 BGN 2.81

46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.21 BGN 2.01

-34.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$26.64 BGN 44.32

53.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.16 BGN 1.93

26.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.66 BGN 1.10

190.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$11.98 BGN 19.93

-35.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.47 BGN 2.45

-31.29%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$36.5K BGN 60.7K

-51.63%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$34.5K BGN 57.4K

-23.35%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$119 BGN 198

-31.75%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$17.57 BGN 29.23

-46.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$13.13 BGN 21.85

81.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$29.20 BGN 48.58

-10.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$14.85 BGN 24.70

25.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.15 BGN 11.90

-42.80%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$329 BGN 547

-4.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$5,521 BGN 9,185

9.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$34.35 BGN 57.2

73.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$29.88 BGN 49.70

6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$128 BGN 213

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$76.8 BGN 128

36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$580 BGN 965

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$358 BGN 595

2.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$709 BGN 1,179

16.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$537 BGN 894

35.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,388 BGN 2,310

115.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,176 BGN 1,956

11.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$956 BGN 1,590

-42.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.1

163.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $580 in Sunny Beach. 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 74% higher in Sunny Beach, 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 $41.00 in Sunny Beach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $257 – 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 Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sunny Beach is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,677 in Sunny Beach. 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 $41.00 in Sunny Beach. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $1,118 in Sunny Beach. 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 $1,028, than in Sunny Beach at $1,118. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sunny Beach 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sunny Beach makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.