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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,486 per month in Varna vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,323 per month in Varna vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,161 per month in Varna vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Varna is about 9% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Varna and Medellin sit above the global median – Varna by 8%, Medellin by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 BGN 23.67

$8.04 COP 24.8K

76.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 BGN 99.6

$48.29 COP 148.6K

23.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 BGN 17.83

$9.42 COP 29.0K

13.80%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$2.94 COP 9,040

1.02%

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

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$1.86 COP 5,735

5.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$1.46 COP 4,479

14.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$3.21 COP 9,882

-9.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 BGN 6.16

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-35.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$1.44 COP 4,428

39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$2.40 COP 7,389

-46.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 BGN 4.49

$1.70 COP 5,228

58.82%

Eggs

$3.72 BGN 6.18

$2.89 COP 8,896

28.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$10.06 COP 30.9K

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 BGN 15.56

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-6.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 BGN 24.72

$14.20 COP 43.7K

4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-47.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.58 COP 4,878

43.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$2.15 COP 6,624

2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 BGN 5.31

$2.30 COP 7,078

38.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.16

$2.00 COP 6,169

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.51 COP 4,646

-28.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.20 COP 3,701

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$1.28 COP 3,946

-32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$3.84 COP 11.8K

10.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-36.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.12

$1.71 COP 5,256

-25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$2.74 COP 8,440

-28.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 BGN 1.72

$1.25 COP 3,834

-16.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-62.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BGN 2.62

$1.31 COP 4,016

20.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$2.17 COP 6,680

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.45 BGN 20.71

$8.29 COP 25.5K

50.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 2.90

$1.36 COP 4,172

28.68%

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

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

15.03%

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

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-28.17%

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

$179 BGN 297

$169 COP 519.2K

5.94%

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

$21.82 BGN 36.30

$13.57 COP 41.8K

60.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-39.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 BGN 89.5

$45.71 COP 140.7K

17.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BGN 34.25

$17.22 COP 53.0K

19.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$6.65 COP 20.5K

36.84%

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

$536 BGN 892

$803 COP 2.5M

-33.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-28.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 BGN 112

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-23.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 BGN 57.2

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-42.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$139 COP 427.5K

-24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$102 COP 314.0K

3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 BGN 1,059

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 BGN 813

$653 COP 2.0M

-25.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 BGN 2,261

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 BGN 1,542

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-11.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 BGN 5,534

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-19.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 BGN 3,659

$1,697 COP 5.2M

29.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 BGN 2,158

$655 COP 2.0M

98.05%

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 Varna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $636 in Varna versus $1,071 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 98% 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 $60.0 in Varna versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Varna vs $300 in Medellin – so Varna 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

Varna vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,229 per month in Varna and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varna, 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 $60.0 in Varna 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 $1,486 in Varna and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varna, where all-in costs run around $1,486, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Varna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Varna. 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.