Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,223 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,849 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,476 in Varna, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Varna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Varna 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$11.69 BGN 19.45

-49.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$47.30 BGN 78.7

-30.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$9.07 BGN 15.09

-18.08%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.47 BGN 4.12

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-36.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.89 BGN 4.80

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.93 BGN 4.88

8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.79 BGN 2.98

-38.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.03 BGN 1.71

22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.44 BGN 4.05

-43.44%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$3.44 BGN 5.73

-36.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$10.79 BGN 17.95

-58.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$8.10 BGN 13.47

-28.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$12.26 BGN 20.40

-26.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.69 BGN 2.80

37.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.04 BGN 3.40

-48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.87 BGN 3.10

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.73 BGN 4.54

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.14 BGN 1.89

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.00 BGN 1.66

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.74 BGN 1.23

21.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.74 BGN 6.22

-40.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.68 BGN 14.44

39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.11 BGN 1.85

7.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.91 BGN 3.18

29.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-26.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$29.23 BGN 48.62

42.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.35 BGN 2.25

5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.72 BGN 1.19

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$12.42 BGN 20.67

-36.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-34.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

-45.58%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$29.5K BGN 49.1K

-9.17%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$124 BGN 207

-33.30%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$18.60 BGN 30.94

-47.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$15.89 BGN 26.43

48.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$41.68 BGN 69.3

-39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$14.85 BGN 24.70

28.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$8.94 BGN 14.87

-55.82%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$413 BGN 687

-23.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$5,503 BGN 9,156

8.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$60.4 BGN 100

-0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$33.21 BGN 55.3

-4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$92.6 BGN 154

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$102 BGN 170

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$510 BGN 848

-6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$389 BGN 647

-3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$893 BGN 1,485

-4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$650 BGN 1,082

10.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$3,269 BGN 5,438

-0.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$2,167 BGN 3,606

-33.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,207 BGN 2,008

-48.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.71

185.14%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varna: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $510 in Varna. 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 93% higher in Varna, 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 $47.00 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $249 – 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 Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varna is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,834 in Varna. 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 $47.00 in Varna. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,223 in Varna. 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 $1,003, than in Varna at $1,223. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna 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.

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