Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Az-Zarqa

For one person, living is cheaper in Az-Zarqa: $716 a month against $968 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Az-Zarqa
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Az-Zarqa Living Index

Jump to prices

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$968

/mo nomad

Az-Zarqa

🇯🇴 Jordan

$716

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Az-Zarqa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bansko and in Az-Zarqa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Bansko versus $716 in Az-Zarqa.

Bansko $968
Az-Zarqa $716

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Bansko versus $1,083 in Az-Zarqa.

Bansko $1,479
Az-Zarqa $1,083

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,989 in Bansko versus $1,450 in Az-Zarqa.

Bansko $1,989
Az-Zarqa $1,450

Living in Bansko is roughly 35% more expensive than in Az-Zarqa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bansko 28% lower, Az-Zarqa 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$4.30 JOD 3.04

105.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.43 BGN 79.1

$24.92 JOD 17.64

82.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 BGN 15.52

$5.59 JOD 3.95

59.57%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BGN 4.06

$0.80 JOD 0.57

191.25%

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

$1.49 BGN 2.60

$0.44 JOD 0.31

238.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.44

$0.35 JOD 0.25

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 BGN 3.05

$4.16 JOD 2.95

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 BGN 3.49

$10.85 JOD 7.68

-81.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 BGN 3.00

$1.44 JOD 1.02

19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 BGN 1.49

$0.44 JOD 0.31

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 BGN 2.55

$1.54 JOD 1.09

-5.19%

Eggs

$2.33 BGN 4.06

$1.78 JOD 1.26

30.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 BGN 16.60

$5.05 JOD 3.58

88.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 BGN 10.96

$5.33 JOD 3.77

18.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 15.04

$8.41 JOD 5.95

2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 BGN 2.29

$1.49 JOD 1.06

-11.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.86

$1.28 JOD 0.90

28.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 BGN 3.02

$1.19 JOD 0.84

46.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$0.63 JOD 0.45

207.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 BGN 1.66

$0.85 JOD 0.60

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 BGN 1.26

$0.87 JOD 0.61

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 BGN 0.96

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 BGN 1.03

$0.50 JOD 0.36

18.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 BGN 5.79

$3.57 JOD 2.53

-6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 BGN 8.84

$7.02 JOD 4.97

-27.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 BGN 1.95

$4.31 JOD 3.05

-74.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 3.01

$4.28 JOD 3.03

-59.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$0.60 JOD 0.42

48.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.08 BGN 47.11

$21.43 JOD 15.17

26.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 BGN 2.85

$0.63 JOD 0.45

160.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.59

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$5.03 JOD 3.56

98.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.61

$1.46 JOD 1.03

2.74%

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

$28.6K BGN 49.7K

$16.9K JOD 11.9K

69.45%

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

$21.2K BGN 36.9K

$22.1K JOD 15.7K

-4.04%

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

$92.5 BGN 161

$132 JOD 93.6

-30.04%

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

$14.59 BGN 25.39

$12.99 JOD 9.20

12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.13 BGN 21.11

$28.75 JOD 20.35

-57.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.84 BGN 55.4

$28.65 JOD 20.28

11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.46 BGN 14.72

$13.83 JOD 9.79

-38.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 BGN 9.59

$9.75 JOD 6.90

-43.49%

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

$227 BGN 395

$213 JOD 151

6.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,311 BGN 4,021

$4,297 JOD 3,041

-46.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.56 BGN 53.2

$21.45 JOD 15.18

42.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.95 BGN 32.97

$13.97 JOD 9.89

35.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.80 BGN 79.7

$44.20 JOD 31.28

3.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.28 BGN 84.0

$40.72 JOD 28.82

18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 BGN 887

$164 JOD 116

210.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 BGN 634

$123 JOD 86.9

196.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 BGN 1,085

$305 JOD 216

104.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 BGN 985

$243 JOD 172

133.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,166 BGN 2,028

$564 JOD 399

106.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$969 BGN 1,686

$348 JOD 246

178.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,680 BGN 2,923

$499 JOD 353

236.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

6.94

-56.92%

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

Last update for Bansko: November 3, 2026

Last update for Az-Zarqa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bansko

$364 37.6%

Az-Zarqa

$123 17.2% 66.3% $242

Groceries & Markets

Bansko

$193 19.9%

Az-Zarqa

$179 25% 7.3% $14

Eating Out

Bansko

$147 15.2%

Az-Zarqa

$106 14.9% 27.8% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bansko

$119 12.3%

Az-Zarqa

$174 24.3% 45.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Bansko

$65 6.7%

Az-Zarqa

$54 7.6% 16.2% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Bansko

$43 4.4%

Az-Zarqa

$48 6.7% 12.3% $5.3

Getting Around

Bansko

$37 3.8%

Az-Zarqa

$31 4.4% 15% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Bansko and $164 in Az-Zarqa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bansko pays about 3.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $45 in Bansko vs $25 in Az-Zarqa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $179 per month, with Az-Zarqa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Bansko

🇯🇴 Az-Zarqa

🕒 Local time

02:44 2:44 AM

03:44 3:44 AM

1 h ahead of Bansko

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

395,227

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Jordanian Dinar JOD د.ا

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 JOD = 1.41 USD

1 JOD = 1.26 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JOD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

Jordanian Dinar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.708 JOD (1 JOD = 1.41 USD). 1 EUR = 0.795 JOD (1 JOD = 1.26 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bansko Az-Zarqa 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bansko
Az-Zarqa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bansko vs Az-Zarqa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $968 in Bansko and $716 in Az-Zarqa, so Az-Zarqa is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Bansko is about 3.4 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $510 in Bansko versus $164 in Az-Zarqa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $968 per month in Bansko versus $716 in Az-Zarqa – Az-Zarqa is about 26% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Az-Zarqa runs roughly 21% less than in Bansko. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Az-Zarqa gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az-Zarqa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bansko. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.