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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Varna vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Varna vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Varna vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Varna costs about 22% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Varna 8% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 BGN 19.45

$5.91 COP 18.9K

97.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.30 BGN 78.7

$32.96 COP 105.2K

43.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 BGN 15.09

$7.43 COP 23.7K

22.07%

Cappuccino

$2.47 BGN 4.12

$1.65 COP 5,276

49.70%

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

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$1.10 COP 3,514

57.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$0.78 COP 2,491

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$1.72 COP 5,484

68.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.10 COP 3,521

62.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.26 COP 4,015

-18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.05

$1.38 COP 4,407

76.81%

Eggs

$3.44 BGN 5.73

$2.18 COP 6,950

57.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 BGN 17.95

$4.49 COP 14.3K

140.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 BGN 13.47

$5.79 COP 18.5K

39.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$8.97 COP 28.6K

36.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 BGN 2.80

$2.32 COP 7,405

-27.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.06 COP 3,397

92.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.10

$1.52 COP 4,838

23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 BGN 4.54

$1.36 COP 4,327

100.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.13 COP 3,599

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.89

$1.17 COP 3,738

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$0.90 COP 2,876

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$0.90 COP 2,861

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.22

$2.23 COP 7,128

67.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 BGN 14.44

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.19 COP 3,793

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$2.48 COP 7,920

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$0.85 COP 2,723

36.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 BGN 48.62

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-29.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 BGN 2.25

$1.42 COP 4,518

-4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 BGN 1.19

$1.95 COP 6,223

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 BGN 20.67

$7.89 COP 25.2K

57.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$0.99 COP 3,160

51.52%

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

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

83.74%

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

$29.5K BGN 49.1K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

10.09%

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

$124 BGN 207

$83.0 COP 264.9K

49.93%

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

$18.60 BGN 30.94

$9.70 COP 30.9K

91.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 BGN 26.43

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-32.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 BGN 69.3

$25.26 COP 80.6K

65.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 BGN 24.70

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-22.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$3.95 COP 12.6K

126.33%

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

$413 BGN 687

$316 COP 1.0M

30.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,503 BGN 9,156

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-7.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 BGN 100

$60.0 COP 191.4K

0.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 BGN 55.3

$31.82 COP 101.5K

4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$102 COP 324.4K

-8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 170

$107 COP 342.8K

-5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 BGN 848

$475 COP 1.5M

7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 BGN 647

$374 COP 1.2M

4.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$849 COP 2.7M

5.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 BGN 1,082

$719 COP 2.3M

-9.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 BGN 5,438

$3,265 COP 10.4M

0.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 BGN 3,606

$1,441 COP 4.6M

50.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,207 BGN 2,008

$624 COP 2.0M

93.33%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Varna versus $475 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 93% 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 $47.00 in Varna versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

Varna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Varna is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,834 per month in Varna and $1,504 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 $47.00 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 $1,223 in Varna and $1,003 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 $1,003, than in Varna at $1,223. 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.