Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,715 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,356 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 4% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Plovdiv and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BGN 14.38

$5.92 COP 21.4K

45.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.26 BGN 78.9

$32.75 COP 118.2K

44.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 BGN 14.02

$7.20 COP 26.0K

16.53%

Cappuccino

$2.39 BGN 3.99

$1.70 COP 6,140

40.59%

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

$1.45 BGN 2.43

$1.10 COP 3,966

31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BGN 1.46

$0.72 COP 2,605

20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.98

$1.67 COP 6,022

78.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 BGN 4.91

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-5.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.06 COP 3,809

63.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.25 COP 4,497

-14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.69

$1.39 COP 5,022

58.99%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.70

$2.26 COP 8,168

50.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 BGN 19.46

$4.33 COP 15.6K

169.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 BGN 12.61

$5.84 COP 21.1K

29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 BGN 20.66

$8.83 COP 31.9K

40.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.51

$2.24 COP 8,099

-33.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.08 COP 3,882

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 BGN 2.69

$1.53 COP 5,522

5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.29

$1.37 COP 4,950

87.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.13 COP 4,078

-8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.12 COP 4,036

-1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.76

$0.85 COP 3,057

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.28

$0.91 COP 3,281

-16.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.07

$2.33 COP 8,414

56.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 BGN 11.86

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-36.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.19 COP 4,309

-13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$2.37 COP 8,553

-27.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$0.79 COP 2,838

-21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.20 BGN 47.10

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-31.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.44 COP 5,184

-15.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$1.91 COP 6,901

-68.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 BGN 17.49

$8.02 COP 28.9K

30.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$0.94 COP 3,385

67.02%

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

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

76.95%

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

$28.1K BGN 46.9K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

4.92%

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

$94.6 BGN 158

$84.0 COP 303.1K

12.70%

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

$17.76 BGN 29.67

$9.60 COP 34.7K

85.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.25 BGN 25.46

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-36.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.68 BGN 62.9

$25.88 COP 93.4K

45.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.03 BGN 25.10

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-21.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 BGN 15.09

$3.92 COP 14.1K

130.61%

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

$427 BGN 713

$306 COP 1.1M

39.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,075 BGN 11.8K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

19.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 BGN 102

$57.9 COP 209.1K

5.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 BGN 60.2

$31.82 COP 114.9K

13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BGN 170

$99.9 COP 360.6K

1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 177

$107 COP 386.8K

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BGN 805

$487 COP 1.8M

-0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 BGN 572

$368 COP 1.3M

-6.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 BGN 1,371

$826 COP 3.0M

-0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BGN 1,005

$716 COP 2.6M

-15.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 BGN 4,009

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-17.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 BGN 2,605

$1,407 COP 5.1M

10.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,142 BGN 1,908

$546 COP 2.0M

109.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

13.43

-66.57%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Plovdiv versus $487 in Medellin. 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 109% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $190 – 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

Plovdiv vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plovdiv is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,611 per month in Plovdiv and $1,550 in Medellin. 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,074 in Plovdiv and $1,034 in Medellin. 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 Plovdiv at $1,074. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv 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, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.