Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Varna vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Varna vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,545 per month in Varna vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Varna costs about 16% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Varna 11% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 BGN 19.76

$5.92 COP 21.5K

99.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.05 BGN 80.2

$32.75 COP 119.1K

46.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 BGN 15.17

$7.20 COP 26.2K

26.11%

Cappuccino

$2.52 BGN 4.21

$1.70 COP 6,186

48.24%

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

$1.75 BGN 2.92

$1.10 COP 3,996

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 BGN 2.23

$0.72 COP 2,625

86.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 BGN 5.04

$1.67 COP 6,067

80.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.81

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-7.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.06 COP 3,837

76.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.25 COP 4,531

-13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 BGN 4.24

$1.39 COP 5,060

82.73%

Eggs

$3.32 BGN 5.54

$2.26 COP 8,229

46.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 BGN 18.31

$4.33 COP 15.8K

153.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 BGN 13.57

$5.84 COP 21.2K

39.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 BGN 20.40

$8.83 COP 32.1K

38.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$2.24 COP 8,159

-25.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.08 COP 3,911

88.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.53 COP 5,563

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 BGN 4.48

$1.37 COP 4,987

95.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$1.13 COP 4,109

1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.91

$1.12 COP 4,067

1.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$0.85 COP 3,080

22.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.91 COP 3,305

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 BGN 6.42

$2.33 COP 8,477

65.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 BGN 12.75

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-31.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.19 COP 4,342

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$2.37 COP 8,617

-22.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$0.79 COP 2,859

45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.53 BGN 49.32

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-28.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 BGN 2.25

$1.44 COP 5,223

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.11

$1.91 COP 6,952

-64.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.27 BGN 20.49

$8.02 COP 29.2K

52.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BGN 2.57

$0.94 COP 3,410

63.83%

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

$32.9K BGN 54.9K

$17.9K COP 65.2M

83.37%

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

$28.8K BGN 48.2K

$26.8K COP 97.4M

7.65%

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

$124 BGN 207

$84.0 COP 305.4K

47.31%

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

$18.70 BGN 31.23

$9.60 COP 34.9K

94.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.83 BGN 26.43

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-34.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.64 BGN 67.9

$25.88 COP 94.1K

57.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 BGN 24.21

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-23.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.61 BGN 14.37

$3.92 COP 14.2K

119.64%

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

$412 BGN 688

$306 COP 1.1M

34.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,541 BGN 9,254

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-6.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 BGN 104

$57.9 COP 210.6K

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 BGN 56.6

$31.82 COP 115.7K

6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 BGN 153

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 170

$107 COP 389.7K

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 BGN 846

$487 COP 1.8M

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 BGN 652

$368 COP 1.3M

6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 BGN 1,495

$826 COP 3.0M

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 BGN 1,067

$716 COP 2.6M

-10.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 BGN 5,264

$2,925 COP 10.6M

7.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,018 BGN 3,371

$1,407 COP 5.1M

43.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 BGN 2,040

$546 COP 2.0M

123.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

13.43

-64.93%

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

Last update for Varna: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Varna versus $487 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 124% higher in Varna, 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 $48.00 in Varna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $190 – 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

Varna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varna is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,795 per month in Varna and $1,550 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 $48.00 in Varna 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 $1,197 in Varna and $1,034 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 $1,034, than in Varna at $1,197. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna 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, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.