Cost of Living in Bulgaria - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Bulgaria
Address: BG

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $675 (excluding rent), and $1,183 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,705 (excluding rent), and $2,460 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 BGN 19.60

$7.04 BGN 11.76

$17.61 BGN 29.40

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 BGN 77.8

$29.13 BGN 48.64

$69.9 BGN 117

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 BGN 15.22

$7.90 BGN 13.19

$10.93 BGN 18.26

Cappuccino

$2.28 BGN 3.81

$1.17 BGN 1.96

$3.34 BGN 5.59

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

$1.52 BGN 2.54

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$2.29 BGN 3.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$0.58 BGN 0.98

$1.75 BGN 2.93

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 BGN 4.00

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$3.59 BGN 5.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 BGN 4.86

$2.03 BGN 3.39

$4.07 BGN 6.80

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 BGN 2.98

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$2.10 BGN 3.51

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.69

$0.64 BGN 1.07

$1.72 BGN 2.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.46

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$2.87 BGN 4.79

Eggs

$3.50 BGN 5.84

$2.15 BGN 3.59

$4.31 BGN 7.19

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 BGN 18.30

$6.98 BGN 11.65

$17.45 BGN 29.13

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 BGN 13.25

$4.68 BGN 7.82

$10.53 BGN 17.59

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 BGN 20.29

$7.05 BGN 11.77

$17.62 BGN 29.43

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$2.31 BGN 3.87

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 BGN 3.35

$1.30 BGN 2.17

$2.84 BGN 4.74

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$2.99 BGN 5.00

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 BGN 4.36

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$3.61 BGN 6.02

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.87

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$1.79 BGN 2.99

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.78

$0.58 BGN 0.97

$1.74 BGN 2.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$1.80 BGN 3.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 BGN 1.13

$0.48 BGN 0.80

$1.14 BGN 1.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.24

$3.53 BGN 5.89

$4.11 BGN 6.87

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 BGN 12.13

$4.84 BGN 8.08

$12.11 BGN 20.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.81

$0.72 BGN 1.21

$1.50 BGN 2.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.86

$1.15 BGN 1.93

$2.31 BGN 3.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.49

$0.56 BGN 0.94

$1.12 BGN 1.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.31 BGN 48.94

$17.83 BGN 29.78

$35.17 BGN 58.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 BGN 2.35

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.75 BGN 2.93

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$0.53 BGN 0.89

$1.04 BGN 1.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.58 BGN 21.02

$9.59 BGN 16.01

$16.18 BGN 27.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.63

$1.51 BGN 2.52

$1.70 BGN 2.83

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

$31.7K BGN 52.9K

$29.0K BGN 48.4K

$31.7K BGN 52.9K

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

$27.7K BGN 46.3K

$24.5K BGN 40.8K

$33.8K BGN 56.4K

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

$126 BGN 210

$75.9 BGN 127

$208 BGN 348

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

$17.83 BGN 29.78

$11.90 BGN 19.87

$23.79 BGN 39.73

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.47 BGN 24.16

$10.59 BGN 17.68

$23.53 BGN 39.29

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.05 BGN 58.5

$20.49 BGN 34.22

$52.7 BGN 88.0

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.74 BGN 26.29

$8.75 BGN 14.61

$23.32 BGN 38.95

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 BGN 14.59

$5.82 BGN 9.72

$11.65 BGN 19.45

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

$539 BGN 900

$361 BGN 603

$782 BGN 1,306

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,729 BGN 12.9K

$4,192 BGN 7,000

$18.0K BGN 30.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 BGN 97.0

$29.58 BGN 49.40

$118 BGN 198

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 BGN 56.6

$17.87 BGN 29.84

$59.6 BGN 99.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 BGN 161

$59.6 BGN 99.6

$149 BGN 249

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BGN 169

$50.4 BGN 84.2

$148 BGN 248

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 BGN 822

$295 BGN 492

$826 BGN 1,379

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 BGN 626

$205 BGN 343

$587 BGN 980

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 BGN 1,496

$481 BGN 804

$1,504 BGN 2,512

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 BGN 1,042

$347 BGN 580

$1,042 BGN 1,741

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,376 BGN 3,968

$1,316 BGN 2,197

$4,678 BGN 7,813

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,605 BGN 2,680

$1,022 BGN 1,706

$3,005 BGN 5,019

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 BGN 1,981

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.92

2.8

5.7

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

Last update: January 11, 2026

By City in Bulgaria

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Asenovgrad	54778	46	$724	$900	$1,781	$1,947	31.86	65.72
2	Bansko	8000	50	$546	$1,003	$1,409	$2,062	56.44	87.3
3	Blagoevgrad	75079	39	$519	$795	$1,097	$1,659	53.02	111.14
4	Botevgrad	21241	42	$600	$856	$1,376	$1,795	192.96	44.47
5	Burgas	189741	57	$657	$1,132	$1,634	$2,318	106.74	134.51
6	Dimitrovgrad	49061	38	$478	$767	$1,146	$1,549	31.1	68.48
7	Dobrich	89627	43	$498	$860	$1,357	$1,793	60.72	100
8	Dupnica	37081	48	$599	$972	$1,320	$2,011	135.42	111.65
9	Elin Pelin	7200	46	$498	$896	$1,257	$1,931	272.52	139.19
10	Gabrovo	59611	41	$634	$811	$1,470	$1,807	308.21	56.61
11	Gorna Oryahovitsa	40000	48	$589	$965	$1,279	$1,974	16.51	114.6
12	Haskovo	76587	43	$613	$867	$1,698	$1,956	132.45	104.75
13	Kardzhali	49421	36	$559	$712	$1,292	$1,594	10.88	96.68
14	Karlovo	23919	40	$448	$791	$1,216	$1,680	52.05	43.27
15	Kazanlak	49032	44	$546	$883	$1,338	$1,783	100.25	140.39
16	Kyustendil	47640	41	$496	$816	$1,395	$1,653	57.97	130.8
17	Lovech	37297	53	$635	$1,036	$1,599	$2,142	34.12	74.73
18	Montana	44502	42	$590	$847	$1,295	$1,806	42.73	72.14
19	Pazardzhik	76739	49	$652	$970	$1,330	$1,991	323.97	106.96
20	Pernik	78342	44	$473	$891	$1,381	$1,726	55.83	159.86
21	Pleven	111567	41	$491	$833	$1,354	$1,806	178.06	127.84
22	Plovdiv	368983	55	$647	$1,087	$1,659	$2,376	46.16	129.67
23	Pomorie	13919	47	$579	$961	$1,697	$2,000	152.65	93.36
24	Popovo	15878	45	$590	$882	$1,459	$1,769	45.03	59.83
25	Razgrad	35049	41	$552	$823	$1,197	$1,665	91.14	101
26	Ruse	159798	47	$537	$922	$1,341	$1,995	54.04	146.6
27	Samokov	25138	51	$600	$1,000	$1,405	$2,087	54.29	70.08
28	Sandanski	28058	49	$618	$959	$1,869	$2,056	1.96	83.29
29	Shumen	85504	44	$516	$897	$1,611	$1,836	27.26	122.89
30	Silistra	37923	45	$606	$906	$1,437	$1,793	87.21	160.31
31	Sliven	95806	38	$603	$767	$1,191	$1,699	29.6	99.87
32	Smolyan	30507	38	$515	$752	$1,393	$1,640	282.87	57.44
33	Sofia	1286383	70	$725	$1,401	$1,856	$2,868	380.58	185.49
34	Stara Zagora	149266	43	$519	$843	$1,334	$1,797	91.97	81.96
35	Sunny Beach	-	55	$563	$1,083	$1,747	$2,269	127.07	75.11
36	Svishtov	33000	48	$536	$965	$1,468	$2,013	7.95	106.15
37	Targovishte	39578	43	$490	$868	$1,549	$1,856	107.61	112.12
38	Troyan	23422	46	$636	$924	$1,694	$1,949	314.94	72.99
39	Tutrakan	8000	46	$664	$908	$1,452	$1,893	31.66	90.08
40	Varna	348058	61	$684	$1,205	$1,721	$2,504	199.7	158.38
41	Veliko Tarnovo	71150	48	$605	$946	$1,535	$2,105	139.37	147.91
42	Vidin	50977	41	$622	$822	$1,507	$1,837	155.38	77.49
43	Vratsa	60877	47	$487	$913	$1,521	$1,927	11.32	100.37
44	Yambol	76599	42	$602	$861	$1,180	$1,737	141.07	79.05

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Bulgaria - Frequently Asked Questions

Bulgaria tends to offer a strong value proposition for travelers, expats, and digital nomads. Rents are typically more affordable than in Western Europe, and you can find clean, well-connected neighborhoods outside peak tourist zones at reasonable prices. Food, transit, and services generally stay budget-friendly, with plenty of local options that let you stretch a monthly budget without sacrificing comfort. The Cost of Living in Bulgaria varies by city and neighborhood, but steady infrastructure development supports longer stays and steady wifi in many shared spaces. Seasonal tourism can push prices up briefly in coastal towns, while inland towns stay steadier. Tip: choose neighborhoods with good transit links and short commutes to save time and money.

Daily life centers on practical choices: search housing near reliable transit, test a few groceries from local markets, and mix work-friendly cafes with occasional coworking spaces. In Sofia, Varna, and Plovdiv you will find affordable transit passes and a growing scene for digital nomads, while smaller towns offer quieter routines and tighter budgets. Bulgaria living cost can shift with the season, especially along the coast when tourism peaks. Tip: look for longer leases to lock in steady monthly rates and negotiate utility inclusions to prevent surprises.

Quality of life in Bulgaria combines vibrant history, friendly neighborhoods, and slower tempos that suit you as a remote worker. Build a simple budgeting framework around housing, groceries, utilities, and local leisure. Expect modest but steady costs that rise with coastal seasons and tourism, so plan a monthly buffer for peak months. For neighborhood fit, look for walkable cores with easy transit access, parks, and nearby markets rather than purely tourist areas. Practical savings come from shared accommodation, cooking at home, and taking advantage of municipal events or free cultural offerings. Tip: create a monthly baseline, then add a seasonal adjustment and a small reserve for unexpected repairs or travel.