Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Sofia vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,143 per month in Sofia vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Sofia vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Sofia costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 BGN 19.51

$6.16 COP 20.1K

90.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.80 BGN 82.8

$32.60 COP 106.1K

52.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.48%

Cappuccino

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$1.72 COP 5,599

52.91%

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

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.05 COP 3,420

69.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$0.77 COP 2,515

84.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

$1.69 COP 5,487

75.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

$3.17 COP 10.3K

3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.05 COP 3,423

77.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.30 COP 4,236

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.40 COP 4,544

42.14%

Eggs

$3.96 BGN 6.58

$2.16 COP 7,046

83.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 BGN 20.26

$4.39 COP 14.3K

177.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$5.88 COP 19.1K

48.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 BGN 21.60

$8.64 COP 28.1K

50.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$2.28 COP 7,425

-16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$1.11 COP 3,603

76.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.53 COP 4,982

30.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 BGN 4.57

$1.35 COP 4,410

103.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.13 COP 3,674

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.13 COP 3,692

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.85 COP 2,753

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.91 COP 2,975

-27.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 BGN 6.43

$2.34 COP 7,629

65.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.20 COP 3,909

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$2.49 COP 8,104

-26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$0.84 COP 2,727

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-27.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$1.42 COP 4,623

2.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$1.92 COP 6,235

-59.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$7.66 COP 24.9K

87.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$0.99 COP 3,223

58.59%

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

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

77.81%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

9.03%

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

$150 BGN 249

$80.8 COP 263.1K

85.31%

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

$17.78 BGN 29.57

$9.95 COP 32.4K

78.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 BGN 25.62

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 BGN 73.2

$25.08 COP 81.6K

75.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 BGN 35.73

$19.15 COP 62.3K

12.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 BGN 15.98

$3.98 COP 13.0K

141.46%

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

$642 BGN 1,068

$305 COP 993.4K

110.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

53.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 BGN 120

$58.1 COP 189.2K

23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 BGN 59.5

$32.20 COP 104.8K

11.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 178

$101 COP 327.9K

6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$108 COP 350.8K

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 BGN 1,156

$477 COP 1.6M

45.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BGN 838

$376 COP 1.2M

33.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 BGN 2,091

$845 COP 2.7M

48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$730 COP 2.4M

22.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 BGN 7,356

$3,215 COP 10.5M

37.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$1,372 COP 4.5M

143.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,785

$617 COP 2.0M

171.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

13.43

-76.99%

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

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Sofia versus $477 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 171% higher in Sofia, 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 $50.0 in Sofia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 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

Sofia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,047 per month in Sofia and $1,546 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 $50.0 in Sofia 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 $1,365 in Sofia and $1,031 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 $1,031, than in Sofia at $1,365. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia 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, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.