Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliven and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Sliven: $757 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sliven, Bulgaria
Medellin, Colombia
Sliven
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$757
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sliven 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 Sliven and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $757 per month in Sliven vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sliven $757
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,205 per month in Sliven vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sliven $1,205
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,653 per month in Sliven vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Sliven $1,653
  • Medellin $3,249

Sliven is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sliven sits 44% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.74 BGN 17.05
$8.34 COP 27.0K
16.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.95 BGN 61.2
$46.53 COP 150.9K
-24.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.67 BGN 16.92
$9.47 COP 30.7K
2.11%
Cappuccino
$1.84 BGN 3.22
$3.13 COP 10.2K
-41.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 BGN 2.15
$1.77 COP 5,727
-30.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 BGN 1.50
$1.42 COP 4,619
-39.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 BGN 2.92
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-46.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 BGN 4.08
$5.70 COP 18.5K
-59.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.52 BGN 2.66
$1.53 COP 4,969
-0.65%
White Bread (500g)
$0.77 BGN 1.35
$2.29 COP 7,429
-66.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.27 BGN 3.97
$1.94 COP 6,306
17.01%
Eggs
$2.17 BGN 3.80
$3.07 COP 9,942
-29.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.25 BGN 14.43
$9.99 COP 32.4K
-17.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.29 BGN 9.27
$10.45 COP 33.9K
-49.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.57 BGN 11.49
$13.96 COP 45.3K
-52.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.47 BGN 2.58
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-63.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 BGN 2.93
$1.53 COP 4,956
9.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 BGN 2.54
$2.10 COP 6,823
-30.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 BGN 3.71
$2.29 COP 7,437
-7.42%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 BGN 0.83
$2.11 COP 6,839
-77.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 BGN 1.56
$1.71 COP 5,542
-47.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 BGN 1.98
$1.17 COP 3,794
-3.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 BGN 0.90
$1.58 COP 5,123
-67.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.60 BGN 6.29
$3.91 COP 12.7K
-7.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.92 BGN 10.37
$14.04 COP 45.5K
-57.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 BGN 1.83
$1.76 COP 5,712
-40.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 BGN 2.25
$2.71 COP 8,793
-52.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 BGN 1.23
$1.18 COP 3,825
-40.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.79 BGN 60.9
$76.3 COP 247.4K
-54.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 BGN 1.95
$1.81 COP 5,859
-38.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 BGN 1.02
$2.13 COP 6,904
-72.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.57 BGN 14.99
$8.13 COP 26.4K
5.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 BGN 2.56
$1.28 COP 4,135
14.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K BGN 53.1K
$34.4K COP 111.7M
-11.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K BGN 39.0K
$34.1K COP 110.7M
-34.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.9 BGN 149
$178 COP 576.3K
-52.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.87 BGN 33.03
$13.89 COP 45.0K
35.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.16 BGN 16.04
$30.74 COP 99.7K
-70.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.53 BGN 39.43
$41.94 COP 136.0K
-46.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.31 BGN 23.29
$16.80 COP 54.5K
-20.77%
Cinema Ticket
$5.55 BGN 9.72
$7.47 COP 24.2K
-25.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$582 BGN 1,018
$790 COP 2.6M
-26.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K BGN 19.6K
$12.3K COP 39.9M
-8.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.9 BGN 99.5
$86.3 COP 279.9K
-34.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.51 BGN 39.39
$59.3 COP 192.2K
-62.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.5 BGN 122
$138 COP 448.6K
-49.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.3 BGN 106
$98.8 COP 320.4K
-38.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$233 BGN 408
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-82.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$145 BGN 254
$667 COP 2.2M
-78.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$329 BGN 576
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-83.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$255 BGN 445
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-75.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,104 BGN 1,932
$4,098 COP 13.3M
-73.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$925 BGN 1,618
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-52.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sliven
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,305 BGN 2,284
$646 COP 2.1M
102.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.87
10.94
-73.77%

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

Last update for Sliven: October 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Sliven
$179
Medellin
$307 71.8% $128
Eating Out
Sliven
$150
Medellin
$173 14.8% $22
Accommodation & Living
Sliven
$145
Medellin
$667 360% $522
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sliven
$113
Medellin
$222 96.8% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Sliven
$94
Medellin
$172 82.9% $78
Getting Around
Sliven
$42
Medellin
$93 125% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Sliven
$34
Medellin
$57 69.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Sliven versus $1,341 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 in Sliven are about 2 times higher, 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 $35 in Sliven versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $307 – making Sliven the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sliven
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
14:55 2:55 PM
07:55 7:55 AM
7 h behind Sliven
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
95,806
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,242 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,635 COP (10,000 COP = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sliven Medellin 10,500 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sliven
  • 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
Sliven vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sliven cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 124%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,135 per month in Sliven and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sliven, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $233 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Sliven or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Sliven and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sliven and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $757 in Sliven and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Sliven about 55% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Sliven or in Medellin?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sliven, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Sliven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sliven or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sliven – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Sliven is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 55% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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