Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $956 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

$956

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Maharagama

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

A single person spends $956 per month in Bansko vs $133 in Maharagama, rent included.

Bansko $956
Maharagama $133

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Bansko vs $250 in Maharagama, rent included.

Bansko $1,467
Maharagama $250

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Bansko vs $367 in Maharagama, rent included.

Bansko $1,979
Maharagama $367

Bansko costs about 617% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bansko and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Bansko 29% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BGN 15.06

$5.39 LKR 1,785

60.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 BGN 78.2

$20.20 LKR 6,690

122.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 BGN 15.28

$6.82 LKR 2,260

28.74%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.12 LKR 701

9.91%

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

$1.57 BGN 2.74

$0.59 LKR 196

166.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.43

$0.29 LKR 94.8

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 BGN 2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 3.00

$0.93 LKR 307

86.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 BGN 1.40

$0.25 LKR 83.2

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 BGN 2.51

$0.49 LKR 162

193.88%

Eggs

$2.36 BGN 4.10

$1.49 LKR 494

58.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 BGN 16.34

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 BGN 11.15

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 BGN 14.76

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 BGN 2.28

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BGN 2.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 BGN 3.01

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 BGN 0.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 BGN 1.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 BGN 5.66

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 BGN 9.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BGN 2.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BGN 1.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 BGN 47.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 BGN 2.34

$0.44 LKR 146

204.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.14

$0.47 LKR 155

38.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 BGN 17.51

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BGN 2.57

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

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

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

$20.9K BGN 36.4K

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

$92.4 BGN 161

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

$14.52 BGN 25.26

$4.63 LKR 1,534

213.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.32 BGN 21.43

$13.62 LKR 4,510

-9.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.70 BGN 55.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 BGN 14.84

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 BGN 9.78

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

$230 BGN 401

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,268 BGN 3,947

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.10 BGN 52.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 BGN 34.13

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.86 BGN 79.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.69 BGN 83.0

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 BGN 902

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 BGN 621

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 BGN 1,069

$197 LKR 65.3K

211.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 BGN 990

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,191 BGN 2,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 BGN 1,669

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,704 BGN 2,965

$244 LKR 80.7K

599.47%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bansko

$357 37.3%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Bansko

$192 20.1%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Bansko

$145 15.2%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bansko

$119 12.5%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Bansko

$64 6.7%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Bansko

$43 4.5%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Bansko

$35 3.7%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 599% higher in Bansko, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Bansko versus $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $20.00 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Bansko

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

05:18 5:18 AM

07:48 7:48 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Bansko

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

196,400

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bansko Maharagama 6,760 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Bansko
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $956 in Bansko, $133 in Maharagama – roughly 617% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,434 per month in Bansko and $200 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Bansko and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $956 in Bansko and $133 in Maharagama. That's a gap of about 617%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Bansko at $956. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko 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 $133 in Maharagama to $956 in Bansko. 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 Maharagama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.