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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Varna vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,889 per month in Varna vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,564 per month in Varna vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Varna costs about 19% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Varna 10% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 BGN 19.51

$5.95 COP 20.8K

97.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.68 BGN 79.3

$33.33 COP 116.3K

43.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 BGN 14.42

$7.23 COP 25.2K

19.92%

Cappuccino

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$1.63 COP 5,687

53.99%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.92

$1.09 COP 3,821

61.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$0.73 COP 2,548

82.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 BGN 4.85

$1.74 COP 6,065

67.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BGN 4.85

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-9.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$1.05 COP 3,662

79.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.29 COP 4,515

-17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$1.32 COP 4,617

90.15%

Eggs

$3.32 BGN 5.53

$2.27 COP 7,927

46.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 BGN 18.21

$4.35 COP 15.2K

151.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 BGN 13.91

$5.88 COP 20.5K

42.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.35 BGN 20.55

$8.61 COP 30.0K

43.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 BGN 2.68

$2.25 COP 7,844

-28.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.39

$1.07 COP 3,733

90.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.52 COP 5,322

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 BGN 4.61

$1.42 COP 4,964

95.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.17 COP 4,084

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.17 COP 4,077

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$0.89 COP 3,096

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.18

$0.90 COP 3,146

-21.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.34

$2.25 COP 7,837

69.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-20.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.14 COP 3,977

-2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.17

$2.38 COP 8,301

-20.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$0.84 COP 2,916

36.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 BGN 48.48

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-30.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 BGN 2.23

$1.41 COP 4,912

-4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.18

$1.90 COP 6,634

-62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 BGN 20.47

$7.75 COP 27.0K

58.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BGN 2.57

$1.01 COP 3,509

53.47%

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

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

79.87%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

9.36%

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

$125 BGN 208

$83.7 COP 292.1K

49.59%

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

$18.90 BGN 31.45

$9.45 COP 33.0K

100.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.73 BGN 26.16

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-34.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.83 BGN 67.9

$25.31 COP 88.3K

61.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.43 BGN 24.01

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-24.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 BGN 14.91

$4.10 COP 14.3K

118.54%

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

$407 BGN 677

$312 COP 1.1M

30.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,528 BGN 9,196

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-7.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 BGN 99.3

$58.0 COP 202.6K

2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 BGN 56.4

$32.56 COP 113.6K

4.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 170

$109 COP 378.8K

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 BGN 867

$482 COP 1.7M

8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 651

$379 COP 1.3M

3.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 BGN 1,510

$837 COP 2.9M

8.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,053

$723 COP 2.5M

-12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,234 BGN 5,381

$2,840 COP 9.9M

13.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,112 BGN 3,513

$1,223 COP 4.3M

72.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,200 BGN 1,996

$541 COP 1.9M

121.83%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Varna versus $482 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 122% 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: $251 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 19%, 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 $1,821 per month in Varna and $1,525 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 $1,214 in Varna and $1,017 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 $1,017, than in Varna at $1,214. 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.