Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bansko and Suginami-ku

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $956 a month against $1,256 in Suginami-ku, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$956
/mo nomad
Suginami-ku
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,256
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bansko and in Suginami-ku

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 Suginami-ku actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $956 per month in Bansko vs $1,256 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

  • Bansko $956
  • Suginami-ku $1,256

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Bansko vs $1,994 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,467
  • Suginami-ku $1,994

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Bansko vs $2,732 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

  • Bansko $1,979
  • Suginami-ku $2,732

Bansko is about 24% cheaper than Suginami-ku, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bansko and Suginami-ku are more affordable than the global median – Bansko 29% lower, Suginami-ku 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.66 BGN 15.06
$6.34 ¥1,002
36.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.94 BGN 78.2
$40.62 ¥6,418
10.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.78 BGN 15.28
$5.12 ¥810
71.48%
Cappuccino
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$3.47 ¥548
-32.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 BGN 2.74
$1.05 ¥166
49.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 BGN 1.43
$0.78 ¥124
5.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 BGN 2.92
$2.56 ¥404
-34.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 BGN 3.45
$3.18 ¥503
-37.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 BGN 3.00
$1.44 ¥227
20.14%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 BGN 1.40
$1.70 ¥269
-52.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.44 BGN 2.51
$3.65 ¥576
-60.55%
Eggs
$2.36 BGN 4.10
$1.97 ¥312
19.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.39 BGN 16.34
$10.52 ¥1,661
-10.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.41 BGN 11.15
$5.99 ¥946
7.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.48 BGN 14.76
$14.18 ¥2,241
-40.20%
Apples (1kg)
$1.31 BGN 2.28
$5.81 ¥917
-77.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 BGN 2.82
$2.75 ¥434
-41.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 BGN 3.01
$2.80 ¥442
-38.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.94 BGN 3.38
$4.08 ¥645
-52.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$2.65 ¥418
-64.53%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 BGN 1.32
$2.64 ¥416
-71.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 BGN 0.95
$1.23 ¥194
-55.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 BGN 1.02
$0.81 ¥128
-27.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.25 BGN 5.66
$3.82 ¥604
-14.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.20 BGN 9.05
$6.48 ¥1,024
-19.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 BGN 1.89
$1.79 ¥283
-39.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 BGN 2.92
$2.03 ¥320
-17.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 BGN 1.45
$1.39 ¥219
-39.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.06 BGN 47.09
$46.37 ¥7,326
-41.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.34 BGN 2.34
$3.21 ¥508
-58.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 BGN 1.14
$2.76 ¥435
-76.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.06 BGN 17.51
$20.79 ¥3,285
-51.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 BGN 2.57
$1.11 ¥175
33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K BGN 50.7K
$21.0K ¥3.3M
38.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.9K BGN 36.4K
$18.1K ¥2.9M
15.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$92.4 BGN 161
$130 ¥20.6K
-29.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.52 BGN 25.26
$23.89 ¥3,774
-39.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.32 BGN 21.43
$31.49 ¥4,974
-60.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.70 BGN 55.2
$58.1 ¥9,175
-45.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.53 BGN 14.84
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 BGN 9.78
$12.85 ¥2,030
-56.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 BGN 401
$631 ¥99.7K
-63.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,268 BGN 3,947
$14.8K ¥2.3M
-84.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.10 BGN 52.4
$61.4 ¥9,697
-50.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.62 BGN 34.13
$36.64 ¥5,789
-46.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.86 BGN 79.8
$60.3 ¥9,528
-23.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.69 BGN 83.0
$102 ¥16.1K
-53.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$518 BGN 902
$477 ¥75.3K
8.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$357 BGN 621
$377 ¥59.6K
-5.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$614 BGN 1,069
$979 ¥154.7K
-37.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$569 BGN 990
$803 ¥126.9K
-29.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,191 BGN 2,073
$4,685 ¥740.1K
-74.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$959 BGN 1,669
$1,700 ¥268.6K
-43.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bansko
Suginami-ku
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,704 BGN 2,965
$2,799 ¥442.2K
-39.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.99
2
49.50%

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

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Last update for Suginami-ku: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bansko
$357
Suginami-ku
$377 5.7% $20
Groceries & Markets
Bansko
$192
Suginami-ku
$289 50.6% $97
Eating Out
Bansko
$145
Suginami-ku
$134 7.7% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bansko
$119
Suginami-ku
$186 55.8% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Bansko
$64
Suginami-ku
$117 81.7% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Bansko
$43
Suginami-ku
$84 95% $41
Getting Around
Bansko
$35
Suginami-ku
$69 96.8% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Bansko versus $477 in Suginami-ku. 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 64% higher in Suginami-ku, 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 $41.00 in Suginami-ku. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Bansko vs $289 in Suginami-ku – so Bansko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Bansko
🇯🇵 Suginami-ku
🕒 Local time
04:31 4:31 AM
10:31 10:31 AM
6 h ahead of Bansko
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,000
540,180
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bansko Suginami-ku 9,230 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bansko
  • Suginami-ku

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 Suginami-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bansko and in Suginami-ku compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $956 in Bansko, $1,256 in Suginami-ku – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Bansko compared to Suginami-ku?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,434 per month in Bansko and $1,884 in Suginami-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bansko and Suginami-ku?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Bansko and $41.00 in Suginami-ku. 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 Suginami-ku?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $956 in Bansko and $1,256 in Suginami-ku. That's a gap of about 31%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $956, than in Suginami-ku at $1,256. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suginami-ku it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Bansko and Suginami-ku?
It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $956 in Bansko to $1,256 in Suginami-ku. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Bansko or Suginami-ku 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 Suginami-ku?
If budget matters most, go with Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Suginami-ku makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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