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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,214 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,889 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,564 in Varna, rent included.

Medellin is about 16% cheaper than Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Varna are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Varna 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.73 BGN 19.51

-49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$47.68 BGN 79.3

-30.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.67 BGN 14.42

-16.61%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-35.06%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.76 BGN 2.92

-38.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.92 BGN 4.85

-40.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.91 BGN 4.85

11.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.88 BGN 3.12

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.07 BGN 1.78

20.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-47.41%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.32 BGN 5.53

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.94 BGN 18.21

-60.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.36 BGN 13.91

-29.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.35 BGN 20.55

-30.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.61 BGN 2.68

39.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.04 BGN 3.39

-47.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.84 BGN 3.07

-17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.77 BGN 4.61

-48.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.09 BGN 1.81

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 BGN 1.18

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.81 BGN 6.34

-40.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.77 BGN 14.59

25.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.11 BGN 1.85

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.90 BGN 3.17

25.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.15 BGN 1.91

-26.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$29.14 BGN 48.48

43.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.34 BGN 2.23

5.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.71 BGN 1.18

167.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$12.31 BGN 20.47

-37.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.55 BGN 2.57

-34.84%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

-44.41%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.0K BGN 48.2K

-8.56%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$125 BGN 208

-33.15%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.90 BGN 31.45

-50.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.73 BGN 26.16

53.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$40.83 BGN 67.9

-38.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.43 BGN 24.01

32.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.96 BGN 14.91

-54.24%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$407 BGN 677

-23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,528 BGN 9,196

8.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$59.7 BGN 99.3

-2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$33.90 BGN 56.4

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$92.6 BGN 154

7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$102 BGN 170

6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$521 BGN 867

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$391 BGN 651

-2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$908 BGN 1,510

-7.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$633 BGN 1,053

14.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$3,234 BGN 5,381

-12.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,112 BGN 3,513

-42.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,200 BGN 1,996

-54.92%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $521 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 122% 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 $48.00 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $251 – 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 19%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,821 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 $48.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $1,214 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 $1,017, than in Varna at $1,214. 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.