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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,108 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,659 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,211 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Medellin is about 7% 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 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.29 BGN 13.85

-28.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$41.92 BGN 70.0

-21.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.98 BGN 16.66

-27.86%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-9.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.01 BGN 1.69

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.82 BGN 3.04

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.75 BGN 2.91

77.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.96 BGN 3.28

-45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.58 BGN 0.97

115.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.87 BGN 4.79

-51.57%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.75 BGN 6.27

-39.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.93 BGN 21.60

-66.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$8.60 BGN 14.35

-32.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.12 BGN 21.92

-32.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.65 BGN 2.76

35.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.23 BGN 3.73

-51.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.77 BGN 4.62

-50.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.20 BGN 2.01

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.36 BGN 2.28

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.23 BGN 2.06

-30.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.73 BGN 1.22

24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.74 BGN 6.24

-37.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.08 BGN 11.82

57.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.67 BGN 2.78

41.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-31.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$26.70 BGN 44.60

54.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.19 BGN 1.99

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.62 BGN 1.03

208.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$12.00 BGN 20.04

-33.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-37.33%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.3K BGN 62.2K

-51.89%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.2K BGN 57.1K

-21.64%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$117 BGN 196

-28.53%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.56 BGN 29.33

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.18 BGN 22.01

83.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$29.39 BGN 49.08

-11.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.06 BGN 25.15

26.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.25 BGN 12.10

-45.93%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$324 BGN 542

-5.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,545 BGN 9,261

6.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$34.92 BGN 58.3

65.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$29.81 BGN 49.79

6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$128 BGN 213

-21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$77.4 BGN 129

38.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$587 BGN 981

-17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$358 BGN 599

2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$721 BGN 1,204

14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$539 BGN 901

32.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,433 BGN 2,393

104.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,175 BGN 1,962

19.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$969 BGN 1,619

-43.72%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $587 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 78% 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 $42.00 in Sunny Beach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $259 – 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 7%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,662 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 $42.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,108 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 $1,034, than in Sunny Beach at $1,108. 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.