Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruse and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruse: $990 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Ruse
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Ruse Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Ruse

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$990

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ruse and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ruse and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $990 per month in Ruse vs $1,625 in Medellin, rent included.

Ruse $990
Medellin $1,625

A couple spends around $1,470 per month in Ruse vs $2,412 in Medellin, rent included.

Ruse $1,470
Medellin $2,412

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Ruse vs $3,199 in Medellin, rent included.

Ruse $1,949
Medellin $3,199

Ruse is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Ruse sits 27% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.07 BGN 15.77

$8.30 COP 26.3K

9.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.26 BGN 59.6

$46.91 COP 148.7K

-26.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 BGN 16.62

$9.24 COP 29.3K

3.35%

Cappuccino

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$3.05 COP 9,676

-44.92%

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

$1.48 BGN 2.58

$1.80 COP 5,707

-17.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$1.38 COP 4,382

-39.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$3.24 COP 10.3K

-45.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 BGN 4.88

$5.56 COP 17.6K

-49.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 3.04

$1.50 COP 4,760

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.76

$2.37 COP 7,508

-57.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BGN 3.96

$1.70 COP 5,377

34.12%

Eggs

$2.55 BGN 4.43

$2.96 COP 9,379

-13.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 BGN 15.54

$10.22 COP 32.4K

-12.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 BGN 13.52

$9.74 COP 30.9K

-20.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 BGN 25.10

$13.90 COP 44.1K

3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 BGN 2.44

$4.13 COP 13.1K

-66.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.21

$1.53 COP 4,839

20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 BGN 3.50

$2.22 COP 7,052

-9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.52

$2.27 COP 7,194

-11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.87

$1.99 COP 6,311

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.84

$1.67 COP 5,285

-36.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BGN 2.11

$1.18 COP 3,742

2.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.15

$1.24 COP 3,919

-46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 BGN 5.91

$3.87 COP 12.3K

-12.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 BGN 10.66

$13.78 COP 43.7K

-55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 BGN 1.97

$1.66 COP 5,256

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BGN 2.04

$2.40 COP 7,615

-51.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BGN 1.46

$1.24 COP 3,944

-32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.93 BGN 27.71

$78.2 COP 248.0K

-79.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 BGN 2.17

$1.28 COP 4,044

-2.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 BGN 1.06

$2.15 COP 6,803

-71.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 BGN 17.79

$8.37 COP 26.5K

22.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.63

$1.35 COP 4,288

11.85%

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

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

$34.8K COP 110.2M

-13.25%

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

$22.6K BGN 39.3K

$34.7K COP 110.0M

-34.92%

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

$104 BGN 182

$167 COP 528.4K

-37.40%

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

$17.91 BGN 31.17

$13.62 COP 43.2K

31.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 BGN 22.44

$29.12 COP 92.3K

-55.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.68 BGN 55.1

$45.09 COP 143.0K

-29.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 BGN 15.32

$17.18 COP 54.5K

-48.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 BGN 9.74

$6.97 COP 22.1K

-19.66%

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

$518 BGN 902

$790 COP 2.5M

-34.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,381 BGN 9,363

$9,041 COP 28.7M

-40.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 BGN 88.6

$87.8 COP 278.4K

-42.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BGN 48.99

$58.2 COP 184.4K

-51.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 BGN 125

$139 COP 440.7K

-48.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 BGN 152

$98.9 COP 313.5K

-11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 BGN 606

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-66.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 BGN 531

$620 COP 2.0M

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 BGN 914

$1,881 COP 6.0M

-72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 BGN 712

$1,008 COP 3.2M

-59.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 BGN 2,889

$3,988 COP 12.6M

-58.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,210 BGN 2,105

$1,702 COP 5.4M

-28.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$966 BGN 1,681

$663 COP 2.1M

45.66%

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 Ruse: October 18, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ruse

$305 30.9%

Medellin

$619 38.1% 103% $314

Groceries & Markets

Ruse

$230 23.3%

Medellin

$298 18.3% 29.3% $67

Eating Out

Ruse

$145 14.7%

Medellin

$171 10.5% 17.7% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ruse

$135 13.7%

Medellin

$209 12.9% 55% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Ruse

$107 10.8%

Medellin

$173 10.6% 61.1% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Ruse

$43 4.3%

Medellin

$59 3.6% 37.7% $16

Getting Around

Ruse

$24 2.4%

Medellin

$95 5.9% 303% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Ruse versus $1,028 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 46% higher in Ruse, 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 $34.00 in Ruse versus $47.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $298 – making Ruse the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Ruse

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

05:49 5:49 AM

8 h behind Ruse

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,798

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ruse Medellin 10,440 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Ruse
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ruse vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,485 per month in Ruse and $2,437 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ruse, 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 $34.00 in Ruse and $47.00 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 $990 in Ruse and $1,625 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 64%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ruse, where all-in costs run around $990, than in Medellin at $1,625. In Ruse it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ruse – 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 Ruse. 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.