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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,084 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,710 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Plovdiv and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 19% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 BGN 15.07

$5.91 COP 18.6K

53.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.11 BGN 80.0

$32.96 COP 103.8K

45.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 BGN 13.90

$7.43 COP 23.4K

12.38%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.65 COP 5,207

48.48%

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

$1.48 BGN 2.47

$1.10 COP 3,468

34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.78 COP 2,458

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.96

$1.72 COP 5,412

73.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 BGN 4.95

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-6.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.90

$1.10 COP 3,474

58.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.68

$1.26 COP 3,962

-19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 BGN 3.56

$1.38 COP 4,349

55.07%

Eggs

$3.48 BGN 5.79

$2.18 COP 6,858

59.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 BGN 19.31

$4.49 COP 14.1K

158.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 BGN 12.59

$5.79 COP 18.2K

30.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 BGN 19.88

$8.97 COP 28.2K

33.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BGN 2.59

$2.32 COP 7,308

-33.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$1.06 COP 3,352

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 BGN 2.77

$1.52 COP 4,774

9.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 BGN 4.09

$1.36 COP 4,270

80.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BGN 1.64

$1.13 COP 3,552

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.17 COP 3,689

-5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.90 COP 2,838

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.36

$0.90 COP 2,823

-8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 BGN 5.94

$2.23 COP 7,034

60.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 BGN 10.80

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.19 COP 3,743

-13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.88

$2.48 COP 7,815

-30.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$0.85 COP 2,687

-28.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.41 BGN 47.26

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-31.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.42 COP 4,459

-15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.02

$1.95 COP 6,141

-68.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 BGN 17.49

$7.89 COP 24.8K

33.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$0.99 COP 3,118

52.53%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

81.51%

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

$28.8K BGN 48.0K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

7.60%

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

$94.5 BGN 157

$83.0 COP 261.4K

13.82%

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

$18.15 BGN 30.19

$9.70 COP 30.5K

87.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.95 BGN 24.88

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-36.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.16 BGN 61.8

$25.26 COP 79.5K

47.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 BGN 24.58

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-22.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$3.95 COP 12.4K

130.38%

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

$427 BGN 710

$316 COP 994.2K

35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,070 BGN 11.8K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

18.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 BGN 102

$60.0 COP 188.9K

2.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.91 BGN 58.1

$31.82 COP 100.2K

9.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 BGN 163

$102 COP 320.1K

-3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 178

$107 COP 338.3K

-0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 BGN 789

$475 COP 1.5M

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 BGN 568

$374 COP 1.2M

-8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 BGN 1,385

$849 COP 2.7M

-1.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 BGN 997

$719 COP 2.3M

-16.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,292 BGN 3,812

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-29.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,558 BGN 2,591

$1,441 COP 4.5M

8.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 BGN 1,914

$624 COP 2.0M

84.29%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Plovdiv versus $475 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 84% 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: $236 vs $193 – 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 8%, 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 $1,626 per month in Plovdiv and $1,504 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 $1,084 in Plovdiv and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Plovdiv at $1,084. 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.