Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Varna: $1,408 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Varna, Bulgaria
Medellin, Colombia
Varna
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,408
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Varna vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Varna $1,408
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $2,217 per month in Varna vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Varna $2,217
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $3,026 per month in Varna vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Varna $3,026
  • Medellin $3,186

Varna is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Varna and Medellin sit above the global median – Varna by 3%, Medellin by 20%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.46 BGN 21.94
$8.09 COP 25.4K
54.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.9 BGN 106
$47.05 COP 148.0K
27.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.16 BGN 17.87
$9.50 COP 29.9K
6.95%
Cappuccino
$2.87 BGN 5.05
$3.01 COP 9,485
-4.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.32
$1.80 COP 5,660
5.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 BGN 2.85
$1.41 COP 4,443
14.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.81 BGN 4.94
$3.18 COP 9,990
-11.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 BGN 6.15
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-39.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 BGN 3.38
$1.51 COP 4,751
27.15%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 BGN 2.18
$2.38 COP 7,480
-47.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 BGN 4.55
$1.77 COP 5,573
45.76%
Eggs
$3.53 BGN 6.21
$2.89 COP 9,093
22.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.53 BGN 20.30
$10.19 COP 32.1K
13.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.28 BGN 16.34
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-5.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.97 BGN 24.60
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-0.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 BGN 3.34
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-52.14%
Banana (1kg)
$2.16 BGN 3.81
$1.55 COP 4,883
39.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 BGN 3.74
$2.18 COP 6,867
-2.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.00 BGN 5.28
$2.18 COP 6,870
37.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.30 BGN 2.29
$1.96 COP 6,174
-33.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.83
$1.59 COP 5,000
-34.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 BGN 1.85
$1.15 COP 3,604
-8.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 BGN 1.37
$1.24 COP 3,911
-37.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03 BGN 7.08
$3.96 COP 12.5K
1.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.90 BGN 15.66
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-34.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 BGN 2.06
$1.66 COP 5,221
-29.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 BGN 3.17
$2.26 COP 7,103
-20.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Varna
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 BGN 1.99
$1.17 COP 3,674
-3.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.11 BGN 49.47
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-63.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.56 BGN 2.75
$1.27 COP 3,989
22.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.88 BGN 1.55
$2.05 COP 6,442
-57.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.19 BGN 21.46
$8.55 COP 26.9K
42.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 BGN 3.07
$1.35 COP 4,237
28.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.6K BGN 52.0K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-13.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K BGN 43.5K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-28.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 BGN 310
$170 COP 533.7K
3.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.41 BGN 35.91
$13.55 COP 42.6K
50.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.68 BGN 27.59
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-44.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 BGN 90.5
$43.70 COP 137.5K
17.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.47 BGN 34.26
$17.19 COP 54.1K
13.26%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06 BGN 15.95
$6.91 COP 21.7K
31.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$498 BGN 877
$797 COP 2.5M
-37.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,292 BGN 11.1K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-30.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.3 BGN 115
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-22.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.01 BGN 58.1
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-43.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 BGN 180
$135 COP 424.6K
-24.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.7 BGN 175
$97.9 COP 307.9K
1.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Varna
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$640 BGN 1,126
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-47.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 BGN 848
$642 COP 2.0M
-24.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,362 BGN 2,397
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-32.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$916 BGN 1,612
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-9.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,998 BGN 5,276
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-28.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,090 BGN 3,678
$1,910 COP 6.0M
9.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Varna
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,286 BGN 2,263
$657 COP 2.1M
95.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.82
10.94
-74.22%

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

Last update for Varna: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Varna
$482
Medellin
$642 33.2% $160
Groceries & Markets
Varna
$272
Medellin
$297 9.3% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Varna
$212
Medellin
$211 0.4% $0.9
Eating Out
Varna
$200
Medellin
$170 15% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Varna
$135
Medellin
$169 25% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Varna
$70
Medellin
$58 17.3% $12
Getting Around
Varna
$39
Medellin
$94 142% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $640 in Varna versus $1,208 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 96% higher in Varna, 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 $60 in Varna versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Varna vs $297 in Medellin – so Varna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Varna
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
19:46 7:46 PM
12:46 12:46 PM
7 h behind Varna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
348,058
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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 BGN (1 BGN = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Varna Medellin 10,610 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Varna
  • 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
Varna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Varna cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,113 per month in Varna and $2,459 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 Varna, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $640 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Varna or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Varna 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 Varna and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Varna and $1,639 in Medellin. That’s a gap of about 16%.
Is $2,000 enough for either Varna or Medellin?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,408 in Varna and $1,639 in Medellin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Varna or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Varna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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