Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Veliko Tarnovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Veliko Tarnovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $952 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,535 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,118 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 6% more than Veliko Tarnovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Veliko Tarnovo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Veliko Tarnovo 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.28 BGN 17.10

-41.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$41.04 BGN 68.3

-19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.77 BGN 14.60

-19.16%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.89 BGN 3.14

-9.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.37 BGN 2.27

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.67 BGN 1.11

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.96 BGN 3.26

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.87 BGN 4.78

6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.63 BGN 2.70

-33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.95 BGN 1.59

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-26.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.39 BGN 5.64

-35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.61 BGN 15.99

-54.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$8.04 BGN 13.38

-29.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-23.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.64 BGN 2.73

42.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.11 BGN 3.50

-49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.97 BGN 3.28

-23.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.56 BGN 4.25

-46.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.14 BGN 1.90

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.30 BGN 2.16

-10.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.77 BGN 1.29

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.56 BGN 5.92

-35.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$6.96 BGN 11.59

52.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.96 BGN 1.59

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.68 BGN 2.80

47.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.89 BGN 1.49

-3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$33.54 BGN 55.8

23.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.17 BGN 1.95

25.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.63 BGN 1.05

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-33.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.49 BGN 2.47

-36.24%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

-44.63%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

2.62%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$93.7 BGN 156

-12.19%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.56 BGN 27.56

-42.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$13.12 BGN 21.83

84.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$36.02 BGN 59.9

-28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$22.08 BGN 36.73

-13.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.94 BGN 11.54

-43.37%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$232 BGN 386

33.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,137 BGN 6,882

44.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$45.02 BGN 74.9

30.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.43 BGN 48.96

9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$83.2 BGN 138

23.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$70.5 BGN 117

53.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$360 BGN 600

32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$261 BGN 434

45.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$572 BGN 952

46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$433 BGN 721

67.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,499 BGN 4,157

11.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,394 BGN 2,320

-13.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$957 BGN 1,592

-46.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.57

193.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $360 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 87% higher in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $234 – 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 Veliko Tarnovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,428 in Veliko Tarnovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $952 in Veliko Tarnovo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $952, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Veliko Tarnovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Veliko Tarnovo – 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 Veliko Tarnovo. 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.