Cost of Living in Bulgaria - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Bulgaria
Address: BG

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $677 (excluding rent), and $1,173 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,727 (excluding rent), and $2,426 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.75 BGN 19.62

$7.05 BGN 11.77

$17.63 BGN 29.44

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.45 BGN 79.2

$29.66 BGN 49.53

$71.2 BGN 119

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 BGN 14.42

$7.48 BGN 12.50

$10.36 BGN 17.31

Cappuccino

$2.35 BGN 3.92

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$3.44 BGN 5.75

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

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$2.29 BGN 3.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.73

$0.58 BGN 0.96

$1.73 BGN 2.89

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 BGN 3.88

$1.16 BGN 1.94

$3.49 BGN 5.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BGN 4.84

$2.02 BGN 3.38

$4.05 BGN 6.77

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.11

$1.45 BGN 2.43

$2.20 BGN 3.67

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 BGN 1.71

$0.65 BGN 1.08

$1.74 BGN 2.91

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BGN 3.47

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$2.88 BGN 4.80

Eggs

$3.49 BGN 5.84

$2.15 BGN 3.59

$4.31 BGN 7.19

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 BGN 18.33

$6.99 BGN 11.67

$17.47 BGN 29.18

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 BGN 13.74

$4.86 BGN 8.11

$10.92 BGN 18.24

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 BGN 20.76

$7.21 BGN 12.05

$18.04 BGN 30.12

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.76

$1.08 BGN 1.81

$2.32 BGN 3.87

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.25 BGN 2.09

$2.74 BGN 4.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.09

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$2.97 BGN 4.95

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 BGN 4.31

$1.48 BGN 2.47

$3.57 BGN 5.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.91

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$1.82 BGN 3.04

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$1.81 BGN 3.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.76

$0.57 BGN 0.96

$1.72 BGN 2.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 BGN 1.22

$0.52 BGN 0.87

$1.23 BGN 2.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 BGN 6.15

$3.47 BGN 5.80

$4.05 BGN 6.77

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 BGN 11.84

$4.72 BGN 7.89

$11.80 BGN 19.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$0.70 BGN 1.17

$1.45 BGN 2.43

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$2.42 BGN 4.05

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$0.58 BGN 0.97

$1.16 BGN 1.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 BGN 48.81

$17.79 BGN 29.70

$35.08 BGN 58.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.73 BGN 2.89

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$0.53 BGN 0.88

$1.04 BGN 1.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.48 BGN 20.84

$9.51 BGN 15.88

$16.05 BGN 26.80

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 BGN 2.61

$1.50 BGN 2.51

$1.69 BGN 2.82

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

$31.9K BGN 53.3K

$29.2K BGN 48.8K

$31.9K BGN 53.3K

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

$27.7K BGN 46.3K

$24.5K BGN 40.9K

$33.8K BGN 56.4K

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

$123 BGN 205

$74.2 BGN 124

$204 BGN 340

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

$17.63 BGN 29.45

$11.76 BGN 19.64

$23.53 BGN 39.29

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.44 BGN 24.12

$10.57 BGN 17.65

$23.49 BGN 39.23

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.80 BGN 58.1

$20.35 BGN 33.98

$52.3 BGN 87.4

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.69 BGN 26.20

$8.72 BGN 14.56

$23.24 BGN 38.81

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 BGN 14.61

$5.83 BGN 9.74

$11.66 BGN 19.48

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

$537 BGN 898

$360 BGN 601

$779 BGN 1,302

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,602 BGN 12.7K

$4,123 BGN 6,885

$17.7K BGN 29.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 BGN 95.6

$29.14 BGN 48.66

$117 BGN 195

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.07 BGN 55.2

$17.43 BGN 29.11

$58.1 BGN 97.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 BGN 159

$59.0 BGN 98.6

$148 BGN 247

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BGN 169

$50.3 BGN 83.9

$148 BGN 247

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 BGN 830

$298 BGN 497

$834 BGN 1,392

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 BGN 625

$205 BGN 343

$586 BGN 979

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 BGN 1,484

$477 BGN 797

$1,492 BGN 2,491

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 BGN 1,063

$354 BGN 592

$1,063 BGN 1,776

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 BGN 3,933

$1,316 BGN 2,198

$4,787 BGN 7,994

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,569 BGN 2,620

$1,006 BGN 1,680

$2,962 BGN 4,946

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 BGN 1,971

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: March 3, 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	$669	$906	$1,396	$1,952	31.86	65.72
2	Bansko	8000	50	$561	$1,007	$1,345	$2,077	56.44	87.3
3	Blagoevgrad	75079	39	$437	$778	$1,076	$1,686	53.02	111.14
4	Botevgrad	21241	42	$579	$860	$1,157	$1,767	192.96	44.47
5	Burgas	189741	57	$660	$1,143	$1,617	$2,291	106.74	134.51
6	Dimitrovgrad	49061	38	$469	$761	$1,241	$1,574	31.1	68.48
7	Dobrich	89627	43	$598	$845	$1,478	$1,791	60.72	100
8	Dupnica	37081	48	$667	$946	$1,529	$2,029	135.42	111.65
9	Elin Pelin	7200	46	$669	$924	$1,665	$1,876	272.52	139.19
10	Gabrovo	59611	41	$497	$805	$1,312	$1,788	308.21	56.61
11	Gorna Oryahovitsa	40000	48	$580	$938	$1,437	$1,986	16.51	114.6
12	Haskovo	76587	43	$683	$866	$1,451	$1,943	132.45	104.75
13	Kardzhali	49421	36	$532	$721	$1,379	$1,575	10.88	96.68
14	Karlovo	23919	40	$499	$789	$1,108	$1,706	52.05	43.27
15	Kazanlak	49032	44	$568	$881	$1,175	$1,807	100.25	140.39
16	Kyustendil	47640	41	$417	$830	$1,244	$1,665	57.97	130.8
17	Lovech	37297	53	$588	$1,067	$1,888	$2,148	34.12	74.73
18	Montana	44502	42	$607	$817	$1,309	$1,801	42.73	72.14
19	Pazardzhik	76739	49	$557	$957	$1,584	$1,993	323.97	106.96
20	Pernik	78342	44	$448	$872	$1,395	$1,699	55.83	159.86
21	Pleven	111567	41	$597	$826	$1,500	$1,765	178.06	127.84
22	Plovdiv	368983	55	$656	$1,090	$1,655	$2,335	46.16	129.67
23	Pomorie	13919	47	$672	$953	$1,637	$2,045	152.65	93.36
24	Popovo	15878	45	$547	$898	$1,291	$1,771	45.03	59.83
25	Razgrad	35049	41	$543	$822	$1,147	$1,690	91.14	101
26	Ruse	159798	47	$579	$917	$1,360	$1,966	54.04	146.6
27	Samokov	25138	51	$696	$1,002	$1,728	$2,146	54.29	70.08
28	Sandanski	28058	49	$611	$979	$1,556	$2,044	1.96	83.29
29	Shumen	85504	44	$620	$903	$1,398	$1,835	27.26	122.89
30	Silistra	37923	45	$666	$888	$1,397	$1,826	87.21	160.31
31	Sliven	95806	38	$606	$768	$1,507	$1,708	29.6	99.87
32	Smolyan	30507	38	$440	$751	$1,260	$1,648	282.87	57.44
33	Sofia	1286383	70	$738	$1,414	$1,866	$2,896	380.58	185.49
34	Stara Zagora	149266	43	$528	$858	$1,344	$1,815	91.97	81.96
35	Sunny Beach	-	55	$557	$1,094	$1,594	$2,199	127.07	75.11
36	Svishtov	33000	48	$510	$945	$1,606	$2,028	7.95	106.15
37	Targovishte	39578	43	$495	$875	$1,452	$1,862	107.61	112.12
38	Troyan	23422	46	$670	$932	$1,477	$1,965	314.94	72.99
39	Tutrakan	8000	46	$645	$926	$1,347	$1,925	31.66	90.08
40	Varna	348058	61	$682	$1,232	$1,754	$2,542	199.7	158.38
41	Veliko Tarnovo	71150	48	$606	$980	$1,539	$2,070	139.37	147.91
42	Vidin	50977	41	$496	$821	$1,493	$1,802	155.38	77.49
43	Vratsa	60877	47	$527	$936	$1,475	$1,927	11.32	100.37
44	Yambol	76599	42	$507	$835	$1,465	$1,778	141.07	79.05

Bulgaria Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

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.