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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,551 per month in Plovdiv vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Plovdiv is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Plovdiv sits 11% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.17 BGN 15.25

$8.02 COP 25.0K

14.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.82 BGN 77.9

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-2.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 BGN 16.95

$9.89 COP 30.8K

3.03%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$3.13 COP 9,767

-5.11%

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

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.91 COP 5,954

-12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$1.51 COP 4,712

3.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BGN 4.47

$3.12 COP 9,747

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 BGN 6.78

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-29.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$1.44 COP 4,509

27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BGN 2.07

$2.49 COP 7,759

-49.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BGN 3.89

$1.77 COP 5,535

32.20%

Eggs

$3.77 BGN 6.27

$2.96 COP 9,235

27.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 BGN 20.22

$10.07 COP 31.4K

20.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 14.37

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-14.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 BGN 24.48

$14.30 COP 44.6K

2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-59.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.61 COP 5,019

16.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.40

$2.25 COP 7,007

-8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$2.25 COP 7,028

21.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$2.04 COP 6,375

-47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.54 COP 4,790

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.17 COP 3,651

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$1.31 COP 4,077

-43.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BGN 6.76

$3.90 COP 12.2K

4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 BGN 10.98

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-52.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.74 COP 5,439

-32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BGN 3.52

$2.87 COP 8,956

-26.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$1.22 COP 3,792

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 BGN 49.90

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-62.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$1.31 COP 4,084

-2.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$2.19 COP 6,825

-71.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.79 BGN 17.95

$8.71 COP 27.2K

23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 BGN 2.71

$1.37 COP 4,260

18.98%

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

$31.2K BGN 51.9K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

12.14%

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

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-29.61%

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

$117 BGN 194

$177 COP 553.2K

-34.10%

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

$19.07 BGN 31.73

$13.88 COP 43.3K

37.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 BGN 26.93

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-45.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 BGN 69.8

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 BGN 34.91

$17.12 COP 53.4K

22.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 BGN 15.35

$6.65 COP 20.7K

38.80%

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

$531 BGN 883

$813 COP 2.5M

-34.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,699 BGN 9,480

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-37.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 BGN 118

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 BGN 72.6

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-26.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 BGN 166

$138 COP 431.2K

-27.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BGN 180

$102 COP 318.7K

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 BGN 911

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 BGN 663

$663 COP 2.1M

-39.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 BGN 1,501

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 BGN 1,139

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,348 BGN 3,907

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-43.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,591 BGN 2,647

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 BGN 2,001

$678 COP 2.1M

77.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

10.94

-71.66%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Plovdiv versus $1,062 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 77% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $305 – making Plovdiv 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,821 per month in Plovdiv and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plovdiv, 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 $48.00 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 $1,214 in Plovdiv and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Plovdiv, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Plovdiv it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Plovdiv – 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 Plovdiv. 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.