Cost of Living in Bulgaria - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Bulgaria
Address: BG

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $683 (excluding rent), and $1,161 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,689 (excluding rent), and $2,456 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 BGN 19.25

$7.13 BGN 11.55

$17.82 BGN 28.87

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.30 BGN 75.0

$28.94 BGN 46.88

$69.5 BGN 113

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 BGN 13.98

$7.48 BGN 12.12

$10.36 BGN 16.78

Cappuccino

$2.31 BGN 3.74

$1.19 BGN 1.93

$3.39 BGN 5.48

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

$1.56 BGN 2.53

$1.12 BGN 1.82

$2.36 BGN 3.82

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.76

$0.60 BGN 0.98

$1.81 BGN 2.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 BGN 3.79

$1.17 BGN 1.90

$3.51 BGN 5.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 BGN 4.73

$2.04 BGN 3.30

$4.08 BGN 6.62

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 2.91

$1.40 BGN 2.27

$2.12 BGN 3.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BGN 1.66

$0.65 BGN 1.06

$1.75 BGN 2.83

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 BGN 3.55

$1.22 BGN 1.97

$3.04 BGN 4.92

Eggs

$3.43 BGN 5.56

$2.11 BGN 3.42

$4.23 BGN 6.85

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 BGN 18.19

$7.15 BGN 11.58

$17.88 BGN 28.96

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 BGN 12.67

$4.62 BGN 7.48

$10.39 BGN 16.83

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 BGN 20.14

$7.21 BGN 11.69

$18.04 BGN 29.22

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 BGN 2.66

$1.08 BGN 1.74

$2.31 BGN 3.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.10

$1.24 BGN 2.01

$2.70 BGN 4.38

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.00

$1.19 BGN 1.92

$2.97 BGN 4.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 BGN 4.20

$1.49 BGN 2.41

$3.58 BGN 5.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.75

$0.57 BGN 0.93

$1.72 BGN 2.78

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.72

$0.58 BGN 0.94

$1.74 BGN 2.82

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.78

$0.60 BGN 0.97

$1.80 BGN 2.92

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 BGN 1.09

$0.48 BGN 0.78

$1.14 BGN 1.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.10

$3.55 BGN 5.76

$4.14 BGN 6.71

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 BGN 11.44

$4.70 BGN 7.62

$11.75 BGN 19.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.73

$0.72 BGN 1.16

$1.48 BGN 2.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.80

$1.16 BGN 1.88

$2.33 BGN 3.77

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 BGN 1.56

$0.60 BGN 0.98

$1.21 BGN 1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 BGN 48.05

$18.05 BGN 29.24

$35.59 BGN 57.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BGN 2.33

$1.10 BGN 1.79

$1.79 BGN 2.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.09

$0.52 BGN 0.85

$1.03 BGN 1.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.52 BGN 20.29

$9.54 BGN 15.46

$16.10 BGN 26.09

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.42

$1.43 BGN 2.32

$1.61 BGN 2.61

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

$32.3K BGN 52.3K

$29.5K BGN 47.9K

$32.3K BGN 52.3K

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

$27.7K BGN 44.9K

$24.5K BGN 39.6K

$33.8K BGN 54.7K

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

$123 BGN 200

$74.4 BGN 120

$204 BGN 331

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

$17.88 BGN 28.96

$11.92 BGN 19.32

$23.85 BGN 38.63

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.35 BGN 23.25

$10.50 BGN 17.02

$23.34 BGN 37.82

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.83 BGN 56.4

$20.37 BGN 32.99

$52.4 BGN 84.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.63 BGN 25.32

$8.68 BGN 14.07

$23.16 BGN 37.51

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 14.75

$6.07 BGN 9.83

$12.14 BGN 19.66

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

$528 BGN 856

$354 BGN 573

$766 BGN 1,242

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,638 BGN 12.4K

$4,142 BGN 6,710

$17.8K BGN 28.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 BGN 92.5

$29.06 BGN 47.08

$116 BGN 188

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.15 BGN 53.7

$17.47 BGN 28.31

$58.3 BGN 94.4

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 BGN 154

$59.1 BGN 95.8

$148 BGN 239

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 165

$50.5 BGN 81.9

$149 BGN 241

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 BGN 790

$292 BGN 473

$818 BGN 1,325

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 BGN 599

$203 BGN 329

$579 BGN 939

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 BGN 1,424

$472 BGN 765

$1,475 BGN 2,390

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 BGN 1,044

$359 BGN 581

$1,076 BGN 1,744

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 BGN 3,918

$1,324 BGN 2,145

$4,814 BGN 7,798

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,615 BGN 2,616

$1,018 BGN 1,649

$2,993 BGN 4,849

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 BGN 1,909

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 20, 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	$586	$902	$1,630	$2,000	31.86	65.72
2	Bansko	8000	50	$530	$1,025	$1,180	$2,093	56.44	87.3
3	Blagoevgrad	75079	39	$500	$790	$1,400	$1,661	53.02	111.14
4	Botevgrad	21241	42	$504	$849	$1,169	$1,761	192.96	44.47
5	Burgas	189741	57	$639	$1,112	$1,654	$2,362	106.74	134.51
6	Dimitrovgrad	49061	38	$488	$766	$1,364	$1,571	31.1	68.48
7	Dobrich	89627	43	$510	$854	$1,469	$1,798	60.72	100
8	Dupnica	37081	48	$544	$966	$1,456	$2,053	135.42	111.65
9	Elin Pelin	7200	46	$647	$911	$1,422	$1,912	272.52	139.19
10	Gabrovo	59611	41	$539	$822	$1,201	$1,791	308.21	56.61
11	Gorna Oryahovitsa	40000	48	$542	$938	$1,427	$1,985	16.51	114.6
12	Haskovo	76587	43	$524	$872	$1,469	$1,910	132.45	104.75
13	Kardzhali	49421	36	$530	$711	$1,386	$1,581	10.88	96.68
14	Karlovo	23919	40	$446	$787	$1,232	$1,714	52.05	43.27
15	Kazanlak	49032	44	$599	$854	$1,400	$1,830	100.25	140.39
16	Kyustendil	47640	41	$533	$823	$1,141	$1,715	57.97	130.8
17	Lovech	37297	53	$612	$1,056	$1,720	$2,167	34.12	74.73
18	Montana	44502	42	$638	$831	$1,424	$1,866	42.73	72.14
19	Pazardzhik	76739	49	$544	$975	$1,302	$1,927	323.97	106.96
20	Pernik	78342	44	$517	$889	$1,232	$1,698	55.83	159.86
21	Pleven	111567	41	$622	$820	$1,338	$1,799	178.06	127.84
22	Plovdiv	368983	55	$643	$1,072	$1,634	$2,325	46.16	129.67
23	Pomorie	13919	47	$602	$940	$1,725	$2,036	152.65	93.36
24	Popovo	15878	45	$527	$889	$1,151	$1,806	45.03	59.83
25	Razgrad	35049	41	$495	$821	$1,134	$1,703	91.14	101
26	Ruse	159798	47	$618	$923	$1,499	$1,998	54.04	146.6
27	Samokov	25138	51	$687	$1,012	$1,851	$2,124	54.29	70.08
28	Sandanski	28058	49	$651	$952	$1,393	$2,076	1.96	83.29
29	Shumen	85504	44	$591	$882	$1,429	$1,895	27.26	122.89
30	Silistra	37923	45	$681	$905	$1,341	$1,786	87.21	160.31
31	Sliven	95806	38	$558	$758	$1,237	$1,653	29.6	99.87
32	Smolyan	30507	38	$540	$775	$1,236	$1,648	282.87	57.44
33	Sofia	1286383	70	$726	$1,411	$1,830	$2,892	380.58	185.49
34	Stara Zagora	149266	43	$527	$856	$1,337	$1,776	91.97	81.96
35	Sunny Beach	-	55	$715	$1,099	$1,770	$2,223	127.07	75.11
36	Svishtov	33000	48	$580	$967	$1,389	$1,990	7.95	106.15
37	Targovishte	39578	43	$539	$842	$1,543	$1,856	107.61	112.12
38	Troyan	23422	46	$527	$915	$1,321	$1,920	314.94	72.99
39	Tutrakan	8000	46	$653	$922	$1,355	$1,931	31.66	90.08
40	Varna	348058	61	$708	$1,212	$1,768	$2,469	199.7	158.38
41	Veliko Tarnovo	71150	48	$609	$964	$1,524	$2,048	139.37	147.91
42	Vidin	50977	41	$587	$811	$1,330	$1,793	155.38	77.49
43	Vratsa	60877	47	$615	$942	$1,577	$1,910	11.32	100.37
44	Yambol	76599	42	$639	$841	$1,557	$1,781	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.