Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Smolyan: $723 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Smolyan
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Smolyan Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Smolyan

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$723

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $723 per month in Smolyan vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

Smolyan $723
Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,156 per month in Smolyan vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

Smolyan $1,156
Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $1,589 per month in Smolyan vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

Smolyan $1,589
Medellin $3,249

Smolyan is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Smolyan sits 47% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 BGN 11.17

$8.34 COP 26.9K

-23.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.37 BGN 65.4

$46.53 COP 150.1K

-19.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 BGN 10.14

$9.47 COP 30.5K

-38.86%

Cappuccino

$1.32 BGN 2.32

$3.13 COP 10.1K

-57.83%

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

$1.07 BGN 1.87

$1.77 COP 5,696

-39.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.36

$1.42 COP 4,594

-45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 BGN 3.02

$3.15 COP 10.2K

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 BGN 3.81

$5.70 COP 18.4K

-61.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 3.06

$1.53 COP 4,943

14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BGN 1.63

$2.29 COP 7,389

-59.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 BGN 3.03

$1.94 COP 6,273

-10.82%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.89

$3.07 COP 9,889

9.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 BGN 17.89

$9.99 COP 32.2K

2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 BGN 10.03

$10.45 COP 33.7K

-45.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 BGN 15.11

$13.96 COP 45.0K

-38.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.98

$4.05 COP 13.1K

-72.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 BGN 3.02

$1.53 COP 4,929

13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$2.10 COP 6,786

-45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 BGN 4.05

$2.29 COP 7,397

0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 BGN 2.05

$2.11 COP 6,803

-44.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 BGN 2.60

$1.71 COP 5,512

-12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BGN 1.63

$1.17 COP 3,774

-20.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 BGN 1.05

$1.58 COP 5,096

-62.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 BGN 5.94

$3.91 COP 12.6K

-13.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 BGN 9.72

$14.04 COP 45.3K

-60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 BGN 1.04

$1.76 COP 5,682

-65.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.92

$2.71 COP 8,746

-38.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.18 COP 3,805

-25.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 BGN 56.6

$76.3 COP 246.0K

-57.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 BGN 2.28

$1.81 COP 5,827

-28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 BGN 1.04

$2.13 COP 6,867

-72.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 BGN 21.33

$8.13 COP 26.2K

49.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BGN 2.69

$1.28 COP 4,113

20.31%

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

$23.1K BGN 40.4K

$34.4K COP 111.1M

-32.95%

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

$23.4K BGN 40.9K

$34.1K COP 110.1M

-31.46%

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

$100 BGN 175

$178 COP 573.2K

-43.71%

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

$14.39 BGN 25.18

$13.89 COP 44.8K

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.26 BGN 16.21

$30.74 COP 99.1K

-69.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.86 BGN 38.26

$41.94 COP 135.3K

-47.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.71 BGN 29.25

$16.80 COP 54.2K

-0.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 BGN 13.38

$7.47 COP 24.1K

2.28%

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

$230 BGN 402

$790 COP 2.5M

-70.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,915 BGN 10.4K

$12.3K COP 39.7M

-51.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.19 BGN 49.33

$86.3 COP 278.4K

-67.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.01 BGN 36.77

$59.3 COP 191.1K

-64.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 BGN 103

$138 COP 446.2K

-57.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 BGN 110

$98.8 COP 318.7K

-36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 BGN 353

$1,341 COP 4.3M

-84.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 BGN 247

$667 COP 2.2M

-78.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 BGN 507

$1,976 COP 6.4M

-85.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 BGN 417

$1,033 COP 3.3M

-76.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,302 BGN 2,279

$4,098 COP 13.2M

-68.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,091 BGN 1,910

$1,940 COP 6.3M

-43.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$694 BGN 1,215

$646 COP 2.1M

7.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

10.94

-70.29%

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

Last update for Smolyan: November 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Smolyan

$199 27.6%

Medellin

$307 18.2% 54.1% $108

Accommodation & Living

Smolyan

$141 19.5%

Medellin

$667 39.4% 372% $526

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Smolyan

$124 17.1%

Medellin

$222 13.1% 79.7% $99

Eating Out

Smolyan

$105 14.5%

Medellin

$173 10.2% 64.9% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Smolyan

$77 10.6%

Medellin

$172 10.2% 124% $95

Getting Around

Smolyan

$40 5.6%

Medellin

$93 5.5% 133% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Smolyan

$37 5.1%

Medellin

$57 3.4% 53.1% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $202 in Smolyan 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 run about 7% higher in Smolyan, 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 $37 in Smolyan versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $307 – making Smolyan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Smolyan

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

11:26 11:26 AM

04:26 4:26 AM

7 h behind Smolyan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,507

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.76 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 November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.97 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Smolyan Medellin 10,390 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Smolyan
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

Smolyan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 134%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,085 per month in Smolyan and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Smolyan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $202 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Smolyan and $47 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 $723 in Smolyan and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Smolyan about 57% cheaper.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Smolyan, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Smolyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Smolyan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Smolyan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 57% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.