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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,486 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,323 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $3,161 in Varna, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Varna, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Varna sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Varna by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$14.23 BGN 23.67

-43.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$59.9 BGN 99.6

-19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$10.72 BGN 17.83

-12.13%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.97 BGN 4.94

-1.01%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-5.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.67 BGN 2.79

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.89 BGN 4.80

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.70 BGN 6.16

54.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.28 BGN 2.14

87.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$2.70 BGN 4.49

-37.04%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.72 BGN 6.18

-22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.67 BGN 19.42

-13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$9.35 BGN 15.56

6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$14.86 BGN 24.72

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.07 BGN 3.45

92.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-30.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-2.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.19 BGN 5.31

-27.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.30 BGN 2.16

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.08 BGN 1.80

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.05 BGN 1.75

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.86 BGN 1.43

48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.24 BGN 7.06

-9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$8.94 BGN 14.87

56.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.28 BGN 2.12

33.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.95 BGN 3.24

40.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.04 BGN 1.72

20.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$29.45 BGN 48.99

164.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-17.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.93 BGN 1.54

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$12.45 BGN 20.71

-33.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.75 BGN 2.90

-22.29%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

-13.07%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

39.21%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$179 BGN 297

-5.61%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$21.82 BGN 36.30

-37.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$17.25 BGN 28.70

64.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$53.8 BGN 89.5

-15.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$20.59 BGN 34.25

-16.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-26.92%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$536 BGN 892

49.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

39.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$67.2 BGN 112

30.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$34.37 BGN 57.2

72.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$104 BGN 173

33.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$106 BGN 176

-3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$636 BGN 1,059

68.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$489 BGN 813

33.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$1,359 BGN 2,261

41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$927 BGN 1,542

13.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$3,327 BGN 5,534

23.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$2,199 BGN 3,659

-22.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$1,297 BGN 2,158

-49.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

2.9

277.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $636 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 98% higher in Varna, 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 $60.0 in Varna. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $283 in Varna – so Varna 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 Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $2,229 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varna, 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 $60.0 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,486 in Varna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varna, where all-in costs run around $1,486, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Varna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Varna – 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 Varna. 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.