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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,079 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,702 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,325 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

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

Both Plovdiv and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 BGN 14.69

$5.95 COP 20.8K

48.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.68 BGN 79.3

$33.33 COP 116.3K

43.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 BGN 14.54

$7.23 COP 25.2K

20.89%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.63 COP 5,687

50.31%

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

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$1.09 COP 3,821

37.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.73 COP 2,548

16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 BGN 5.02

$1.74 COP 6,065

73.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 BGN 4.86

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.05 COP 3,662

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.69

$1.29 COP 4,515

-21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.50

$1.32 COP 4,617

59.09%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.67

$2.27 COP 7,927

50.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 BGN 19.27

$4.35 COP 15.2K

166.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 BGN 12.82

$5.88 COP 20.5K

31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 BGN 20.28

$8.61 COP 30.0K

41.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$2.25 COP 7,844

-29.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.07 COP 3,733

64.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$1.52 COP 5,322

6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 BGN 4.05

$1.42 COP 4,964

71.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$1.17 COP 4,084

-16.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$1.17 COP 4,077

-1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$0.89 COP 3,096

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.36

$0.90 COP 3,146

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 BGN 5.78

$2.25 COP 7,837

54.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 BGN 9.89

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.79

$1.14 COP 3,977

-6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$2.38 COP 8,301

-24.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.84 COP 2,916

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.43 BGN 47.30

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-32.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.41 COP 4,912

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 BGN 1.07

$1.90 COP 6,634

-66.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.74 BGN 17.87

$7.75 COP 27.0K

38.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.65

$1.01 COP 3,509

57.43%

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

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

83.82%

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

$28.5K BGN 47.5K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

7.69%

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

$94.3 BGN 157

$83.7 COP 292.1K

12.70%

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

$18.13 BGN 30.17

$9.45 COP 33.0K

91.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.02 BGN 24.99

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.21 BGN 61.9

$25.31 COP 88.3K

47.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 BGN 24.78

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-22.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 BGN 14.79

$4.10 COP 14.3K

116.83%

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

$416 BGN 692

$312 COP 1.1M

33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,099 BGN 11.8K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

18.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 BGN 100

$58.0 COP 202.6K

4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.87 BGN 59.7

$32.56 COP 113.6K

10.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 BGN 167

$99.6 COP 347.7K

0.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 177

$109 COP 378.8K

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 BGN 784

$482 COP 1.7M

-2.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 BGN 557

$379 COP 1.3M

-11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 BGN 1,390

$837 COP 2.9M

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 BGN 1,018

$723 COP 2.5M

-15.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,324 BGN 3,866

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-18.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 BGN 2,593

$1,223 COP 4.3M

27.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 BGN 1,930

$541 COP 1.9M

114.50%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Plovdiv versus $482 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 114% 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 $48.00 in Plovdiv versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 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 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 $1,619 per month in Plovdiv and $1,525 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 $48.00 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 $1,079 in Plovdiv and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Plovdiv at $1,079. 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.