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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Sofia costs about 36% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$5.99 COP 21.3K

98.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$32.86 COP 116.9K

54.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$7.09 COP 25.2K

23.55%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$1.71 COP 6,093

52.05%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.10 COP 3,910

58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.78 COP 2,771

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$1.68 COP 5,976

74.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$3.07 COP 10.9K

5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.09 COP 3,892

77.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.26 COP 4,492

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.38 COP 4,905

44.20%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$2.19 COP 7,799

74.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$4.40 COP 15.7K

185.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$5.63 COP 20.0K

55.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$8.89 COP 31.6K

49.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$2.34 COP 8,319

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.06 COP 3,764

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.50 COP 5,355

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$1.38 COP 4,906

105.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.15 COP 4,097

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.16 COP 4,141

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$0.89 COP 3,170

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.84 COP 2,986

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$2.28 COP 8,116

67.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-28.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.20 COP 4,268

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$2.47 COP 8,793

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.86 COP 3,045

6.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-28.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.47 COP 5,245

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$1.96 COP 6,984

-61.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$7.74 COP 27.5K

85.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$0.95 COP 3,397

58.95%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

79.16%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

7.26%

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

$154 BGN 256

$82.3 COP 292.7K

87.28%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$9.50 COP 33.8K

90.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-38.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$25.89 COP 92.1K

70.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$19.00 COP 67.6K

15.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$3.93 COP 14.0K

135.11%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$309 COP 1.1M

101.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

56.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$58.7 COP 208.7K

21.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$32.35 COP 115.1K

10.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$103 COP 365.1K

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$108 COP 385.8K

9.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$476 COP 1.7M

46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$379 COP 1.3M

32.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$838 COP 3.0M

54.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$724 COP 2.6M

25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$2,791 COP 9.9M

61.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,211 COP 4.3M

160.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$512 COP 1.8M

227.18%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $476 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 227% 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 $51.0 in Sofia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $188 – 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 36%, 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 $2,060 per month in Sofia and $1,519 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 $51.0 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 $1,373 in Sofia and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Sofia at $1,373. 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.