Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulgaria and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulgaria and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $916 in Bulgaria versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Bulgaria versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Bulgaria versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Bulgaria is roughly 29% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Bulgaria 32% lower, China 47% lower.

Bulgaria ($725–$1,398) and China ($532–$1,187) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 BGN 19.53

$2.75 ¥18.80

325.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.55 BGN 79.4

$24.07 ¥165

97.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 BGN 15.08

$4.84 ¥33.11

86.57%

Cappuccino

$2.33 BGN 3.89

$2.97 ¥20.29

-21.55%

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

$1.55 BGN 2.60

$0.45 ¥3.05

244.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$0.29 ¥2.00

272.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 BGN 3.86

$1.00 ¥6.85

131.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.04

$2.06 ¥14.11

46.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 BGN 2.95

$1.82 ¥12.46

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.69

$1.62 ¥11.07

-37.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 BGN 3.47

$0.91 ¥6.20

128.57%

Eggs

$3.39 BGN 5.65

$1.54 ¥10.55

120.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 BGN 18.50

$13.32 ¥91.1

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 BGN 13.00

$3.27 ¥22.38

137.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.47

$10.56 ¥72.2

16.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.84

$1.76 ¥12.01

-3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.34

$1.30 ¥8.91

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.45 ¥9.93

25.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 BGN 4.39

$1.19 ¥8.16

121.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.89

$0.71 ¥4.83

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.91 ¥6.23

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.78

$0.57 ¥3.89

85.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 BGN 1.12

$0.53 ¥3.65

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.37

$3.50 ¥23.97

8.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 BGN 12.21

$11.85 ¥81.1

-38.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.79

$0.84 ¥5.72

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.85

$1.68 ¥11.49

1.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$0.44 ¥3.00

104.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.65 BGN 49.51

$20.76 ¥142

42.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.36 ¥9.28

2.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.11

$0.35 ¥2.43

88.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.17 BGN 20.33

$6.65 ¥45.47

83.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.17 ¥7.99

29.91%

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

$32.3K BGN 54.0K

$19.1K ¥130.8K

68.90%

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

$27.9K BGN 46.6K

$17.1K ¥117.2K

62.66%

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

$124 BGN 207

$52.0 ¥355

138.68%

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

$17.40 BGN 29.06

$9.65 ¥66.0

80.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.71 BGN 24.57

$11.16 ¥76.3

31.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 BGN 59.5

$40.48 ¥277

-12.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 BGN 26.51

$14.75 ¥101

7.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 BGN 14.90

$6.35 ¥43.45

40.47%

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

$536 BGN 896

$410 ¥2,803

30.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,555 BGN 12.6K

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-57.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 BGN 97.2

$46.08 ¥315

26.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.16 BGN 55.4

$32.86 ¥225

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 BGN 159

$71.2 ¥487

34.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 BGN 166

$75.3 ¥515

32.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 BGN 806

$430 ¥2,942

12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 BGN 626

$261 ¥1,784

43.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 BGN 1,479

$914 ¥6,254

-3.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$645 BGN 1,077

$542 ¥3,711

18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,386 BGN 3,984

$5,177 ¥35.4K

-53.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,573 BGN 2,627

$2,630 ¥18.0K

-40.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,166 BGN 1,947

$1,060 ¥7,250

9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.92

4.06

-3.45%

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

Last update for Bulgaria: April 21, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $309 in Bulgaria, $287 in China. Capital cities: $683 in Sofia vs $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,069 in Bulgaria, $833 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 8% higher in Bulgaria.

Dining out costs 67% more in Bulgaria.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Bulgaria.

Salaries are 28% higher in Bulgaria.

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

Bulgaria vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,062 per month in Bulgaria and $860 in China, there's a 24% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Bulgaria beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Bulgaria, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Bulgaria may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.