Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Crooked Island

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $2,241 in Crooked Island, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Crooked Island

🇧🇸 Bahamas

$2,241

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Crooked Island

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 Crooked Island actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $970 per month in Bansko vs $2,241 in Crooked Island, rent included.

Bansko $970
Crooked Island $2,241

A couple spends around $1,464 per month in Bansko vs $3,565 in Crooked Island, rent included.

Bansko $1,464
Crooked Island $3,565

A family of three spends $1,957 per month in Bansko vs $4,888 in Crooked Island, rent included.

Bansko $1,957
Crooked Island $4,888

Bansko is about 57% cheaper than Crooked Island, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bansko sits 28% below the global median, while Crooked Island is 67% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BGN 15.15

$49.87 BSD 49.87

-82.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 BGN 81.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 BGN 15.77

$12.91 BSD 12.91

-30.21%

Cappuccino

$2.24 BGN 3.92

$4.02 BSD 4.02

-44.28%

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

$1.50 BGN 2.63

$3.99 BSD 3.99

-62.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.51

$2.05 BSD 2.05

-58.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$4.94 BSD 4.94

-64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BGN 3.51

$4.93 BSD 4.93

-59.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

$7.94 BSD 7.94

-77.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 BGN 1.42

$6.07 BSD 6.07

-86.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 BGN 2.66

$3.43 BSD 3.43

-55.69%

Eggs

$2.30 BGN 4.02

$11.25 BSD 11.25

-79.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BGN 16.81

$13.12 BSD 13.12

-26.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 BGN 11.06

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 15.12

$8.22 BSD 8.22

5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 BGN 2.24

$14.10 BSD 14.10

-90.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.95

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.98

$1.24 BSD 1.24

37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 BGN 3.30

$12.10 BSD 12.10

-84.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.63

$2.14 BSD 2.14

-56.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.32

$2.80 BSD 2.80

-72.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BGN 0.95

$1.02 BSD 1.02

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 BGN 1.02

$1.98 BSD 1.98

-70.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 BGN 6.02

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 BGN 9.00

$29.46 BSD 29.46

-82.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.94

$5.03 BSD 5.03

-77.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.97

$5.10 BSD 5.10

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 BGN 1.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.76 BGN 46.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 BGN 2.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.14

$1.99 BSD 1.99

-67.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 BGN 17.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.63

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

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

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

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

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

$91.4 BGN 160

$219 BSD 219

-58.17%

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

$14.68 BGN 25.68

$58.8 BSD 58.8

-75.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.07 BGN 21.12

$68.7 BSD 68.7

-82.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 BGN 56.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 BGN 15.05

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BGN 9.86

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

$228 BGN 400

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,311 BGN 4,045

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 BGN 53.3

$79.2 BSD 79.2

-61.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.01 BGN 33.26

$50.0 BSD 50.0

-62.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 BGN 79.7

$254 BSD 254

-82.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.67 BGN 85.2

$99.4 BSD 99.4

-51.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 BGN 913

$540 BSD 540

-3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 BGN 643

$558 BSD 558

-34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 BGN 1,110

$1,615 BSD 1,615

-60.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 BGN 976

$1,584 BSD 1,584

-64.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,204 BGN 2,106

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 BGN 1,699

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,670 BGN 2,923

$1,101 BSD 1,101

51.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

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

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Last update for Crooked Island: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bansko

$367 38%

Crooked Island

–

Groceries & Markets

Bansko

$193 20%

Crooked Island

–

Eating Out

Bansko

$145 15%

Crooked Island

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bansko

$118 12.2%

Crooked Island

–

Clothing & Footwear

Bansko

$65 6.7%

Crooked Island

–

Sport & Entertainment

Bansko

$44 4.5%

Crooked Island

–

Getting Around

Bansko

$35 3.6%

Crooked Island

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Bansko versus $540 in Crooked Island. 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 52% higher in Bansko, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Bansko

🇧🇸 Crooked Island

🕒 Local time

14:34 2:34 PM

07:34 7:34 AM

7 h behind Bansko

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

240

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Bahamian Dollar BSD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

1 BSD = 1 USD

1 BSD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BSD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bansko Crooked Island 8,950 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Bansko
Crooked Island

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 Crooked Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $970 in Bansko, $2,241 in Crooked Island – roughly 131% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,455 per month in Bansko and $3,362 in Crooked Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $970 in Bansko and $2,241 in Crooked Island. That's a gap of about 131%.

Groceries cost about 176% more in Crooked Island, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Crooked Island at $2,241. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Crooked Island it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $970 in Bansko to $2,241 in Crooked Island. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Crooked Island makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.