Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Mahdia

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahdia: $557 a month against $956 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$956
/mo nomad
Mahdia
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$557
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Mahdia

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

A single person spends $956 per month in Bansko vs $557 in Mahdia, rent included.

  • Bansko $956
  • Mahdia $557

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Bansko vs $881 in Mahdia, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,467
  • Mahdia $881

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Bansko vs $1,206 in Mahdia, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,979
  • Mahdia $1,206

Bansko costs about 72% more than Mahdia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bansko and Mahdia are more affordable than the global median – Bansko 29% lower, Mahdia 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.66 BGN 15.06
$2.48 TND 7.44
249.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.94 BGN 78.2
$20.01 TND 59.9
124.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.78 BGN 15.28
$4.84 TND 14.49
81.40%
Cappuccino
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$0.96 TND 2.89
142.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 BGN 2.74
$0.57 TND 1.72
175.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 BGN 1.43
$0.19 TND 0.56
331.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 BGN 2.92
$1.03 TND 3.07
63.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 BGN 3.45
$1.51 TND 4.52
31.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 BGN 3.00
$0.43 TND 1.30
302.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 BGN 1.40
$0.26 TND 0.78
207.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 BGN 2.51
$1.38 TND 4.13
4.35%
Eggs
$2.36 BGN 4.10
$1.53 TND 4.58
54.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.39 BGN 16.34
$11.75 TND 35.19
-20.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.41 BGN 11.15
$4.96 TND 14.87
29.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.48 BGN 14.76
$14.46 TND 43.29
-41.36%
Apples (1kg)
$1.31 BGN 2.28
$2.86 TND 8.56
-54.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 BGN 2.82
$2.86 TND 8.55
-43.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 BGN 3.01
$1.44 TND 4.32
20.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.94 BGN 3.38
$0.72 TND 2.15
169.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.65 TND 1.94
44.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 BGN 1.32
$0.34 TND 1.03
123.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 BGN 0.95
$0.43 TND 1.29
27.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 BGN 1.02
$0.31 TND 0.94
90.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.25 BGN 5.66
$3.53 TND 10.56
-7.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.20 BGN 9.05
$3.35 TND 10.04
55.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 BGN 1.89
$1.63 TND 4.88
-33.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 BGN 2.92
$1.25 TND 3.75
34.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 BGN 1.45
$0.32 TND 0.95
162.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.06 BGN 47.09
$13.33 TND 39.92
103.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.34 BGN 2.34
$0.31 TND 0.93
332.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 BGN 1.14
$0.26 TND 0.77
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.06 BGN 17.51
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 BGN 2.57
$0.88 TND 2.64
68.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K BGN 50.7K
$40.9K TND 122.5K
-28.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.9K BGN 36.4K
$40.1K TND 120.0K
-47.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.4 BGN 161
$56.3 TND 169
64.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.52 BGN 25.26
$7.15 TND 21.41
103.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.32 BGN 21.43
$20.10 TND 60.2
-38.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.70 BGN 55.2
$20.52 TND 61.5
54.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.53 BGN 14.84
$7.69 TND 23.03
10.92%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 BGN 9.78
$6.80 TND 20.36
-17.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 BGN 401
$109 TND 326
111.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 BGN 3,947
$985 TND 2,951
130.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.10 BGN 52.4
$37.98 TND 114
-20.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.62 BGN 34.13
$32.80 TND 98.2
-40.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.86 BGN 79.8
$76.9 TND 230
-40.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.69 BGN 83.0
$23.51 TND 70.4
102.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$518 BGN 902
$130 TND 390
297.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$357 BGN 621
$100 TND 301
255.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$614 BGN 1,069
$292 TND 875
110.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$569 BGN 990
$175 TND 523
225.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,191 BGN 2,073
$675 TND 2,022
76.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$959 BGN 1,669
$201 TND 602
377.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bansko
Mahdia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,704 BGN 2,965
$232 TND 695
634.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.99
10.33
-71.06%

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

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mahdia: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bansko
$357
Mahdia
$100 71.9% $257
Groceries & Markets
Bansko
$192
Mahdia
$188 1.8% $3.5
Eating Out
Bansko
$145
Mahdia
$57 60.7% $88
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
$119
Mahdia
$84 29.9% $36
Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
$64
Mahdia
$77 19.5% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
$43
Mahdia
$34 20.6% $8.8
Getting Around
Bansko
$35
Mahdia
$16 53.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Bansko versus $130 in Mahdia. 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 635% 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 Mahdia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $188 – making Mahdia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Bansko
🇹🇳 Mahdia
🕒 Local time
21:36 9:36 PM
19:36 7:36 PM
2 h behind Bansko
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000
79,545
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bansko Mahdia 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bansko
  • Mahdia

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 Mahdia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bansko and in Mahdia compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $956 in Bansko, $557 in Mahdia – roughly 72% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Bansko compared to Mahdia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,434 per month in Bansko and $835 in Mahdia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bansko and Mahdia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahdia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Bansko and $20.00 in Mahdia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bansko or Mahdia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $956 in Bansko and $557 in Mahdia. That's a gap of about 72%.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahdia, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Bansko at $956. In Mahdia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Bansko and Mahdia?
It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $557 in Mahdia to $956 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Bansko or Mahdia safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Bansko and Mahdia?
If budget matters most, go with Mahdia. 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.

Bansko vs other spots: cost of living compared

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