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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Sofia vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,556 per month in Sofia vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,462 per month in Sofia vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Sofia is about 4% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sofia and Medellin sit above the global median – Sofia by 20%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 BGN 28.96

$8.03 COP 25.2K

116.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 BGN 109

$48.26 COP 151.7K

35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 BGN 20.25

$9.77 COP 30.7K

24.56%

Cappuccino

$3.63 BGN 6.05

$2.91 COP 9,149

24.74%

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

$2.36 BGN 3.92

$1.94 COP 6,110

21.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$1.52 COP 4,783

28.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

$3.09 COP 9,721

14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-20.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.35

$1.36 COP 4,287

47.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$2.39 COP 7,505

-32.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 BGN 4.02

$1.70 COP 5,346

42.35%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.33

$2.87 COP 9,021

53.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 BGN 19.64

$9.94 COP 31.2K

18.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 BGN 15.39

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 BGN 28.66

$14.73 COP 46.3K

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-46.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$1.57 COP 4,940

30.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.13 COP 6,682

-9.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.03

$2.21 COP 6,959

90.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$2.05 COP 6,435

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$1.50 COP 4,728

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.97

$1.19 COP 3,740

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$1.16 COP 3,640

-22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 BGN 7.21

$3.90 COP 12.2K

11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-46.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

$1.58 COP 4,978

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$2.83 COP 8,889

-34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$1.17 COP 3,672

-21.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.12 BGN 50.1

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-61.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$1.28 COP 4,038

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$2.09 COP 6,576

-56.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 BGN 26.96

$8.62 COP 27.1K

88.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 BGN 2.94

$1.30 COP 4,080

35.38%

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

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

13.45%

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

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-22.84%

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

$170 BGN 283

$176 COP 553.4K

-3.41%

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

$22.02 BGN 36.64

$13.37 COP 42.0K

64.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 BGN 25.67

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-48.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.50 BGN 79.0

$44.76 COP 140.7K

6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.53 BGN 49.13

$17.06 COP 53.6K

73.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 BGN 17.18

$6.20 COP 19.5K

66.61%

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

$799 BGN 1,330

$793 COP 2.5M

0.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

48.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 BGN 147

$85.6 COP 269.1K

3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 BGN 70.8

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-27.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BGN 179

$136 COP 428.4K

-20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 BGN 187

$103 COP 324.1K

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BGN 1,305

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,034

$680 COP 2.1M

-8.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 BGN 2,622

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-21.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 BGN 1,785

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-8.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,637 BGN 7,714

$4,111 COP 12.9M

12.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 BGN 5,581

$1,701 COP 5.3M

97.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 2,898

$665 COP 2.1M

161.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

10.94

-73.49%

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

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Sofia versus $1,060 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 162% higher in Sofia, 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 $65.0 in Sofia versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Sofia vs $303 in Medellin – so Sofia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $2,475 per month in Sofia and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sofia, 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 $65.0 in Sofia 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 $1,650 in Sofia and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,650, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sofia – 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 Sofia. 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.