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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,081 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,639 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,198 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sunny Beach is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$8.69 BGN 14.46

-9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$47.55 BGN 79.1

-6.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.02 BGN 15.01

2.99%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.72 BGN 4.52

6.62%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.70 BGN 2.82

6.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.54 BGN 2.57

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.33 BGN 3.87

39.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.76 BGN 2.92

234.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-24.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.78 BGN 1.29

214.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.31 BGN 3.84

-34.63%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.90 BGN 6.48

-28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.83 BGN 14.70

2.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$8.73 BGN 14.52

21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$14.66 BGN 24.39

-0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.78 BGN 2.97

123.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.91 BGN 3.17

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.06 BGN 3.42

11.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.64 BGN 4.39

-23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.12 BGN 1.87

86.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.13 BGN 1.87

44.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.75 BGN 1.25

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$4.11 BGN 6.83

-1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.61 BGN 10.99

103.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.22 BGN 2.04

31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.08 BGN 3.46

44.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.16 BGN 1.93

1.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.43 BGN 2.38

12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.70 BGN 1.17

204.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$10.83 BGN 18.01

-21.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-18.67%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$31.0K BGN 51.6K

-8.71%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$25.7K BGN 42.7K

39.06%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$118 BGN 197

27.81%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$19.15 BGN 31.85

-31.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$16.00 BGN 26.62

101.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$9.30 BGN 15.47

-30.86%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$531 BGN 883

57.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,141 BGN 8,552

72.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$34.66 BGN 57.7

157.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$43.43 BGN 72.3

27.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$101 BGN 168

35.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$107 BGN 179

1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$589 BGN 979

61.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$354 BGN 589

88.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$720 BGN 1,198

180.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$534 BGN 888

115.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,394 BGN 2,320

165.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,176 BGN 1,956

34.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$964 BGN 1,604

-35.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

3.1

236.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $589 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 54% higher in Sunny Beach, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Sunny Beach. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $249 in Sunny Beach – so Sunny Beach 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 Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,622 in Sunny Beach. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sunny Beach, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $48.00 in Sunny Beach. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunny Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Sunny Beach it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sunny Beach – 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 Sunny Beach. 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.