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: $914 in Bulgaria versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,419 in Bulgaria versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,923 in Bulgaria versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Bulgaria is roughly 28% more expensive than China on average.

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

Bulgaria ($714–$1,373) and China ($520–$1,209) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 BGN 19.34

$2.81 ¥19.04

313.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.78 BGN 79.5

$23.30 ¥158

105.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 BGN 14.54

$5.01 ¥33.98

74.45%

Cappuccino

$2.22 BGN 3.70

$3.01 ¥20.45

-26.25%

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

$1.54 BGN 2.57

$0.45 ¥3.03

242.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$0.29 ¥1.98

258.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 BGN 3.89

$0.95 ¥6.43

146.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 BGN 4.97

$2.05 ¥13.92

45.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.76 ¥11.91

5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.62 ¥11.01

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 BGN 3.53

$0.95 ¥6.47

123.16%

Eggs

$3.39 BGN 5.64

$1.56 ¥10.58

117.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 BGN 18.13

$13.06 ¥88.6

-16.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 BGN 13.28

$3.28 ¥22.24

143.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 BGN 20.16

$10.65 ¥72.2

13.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 BGN 2.82

$1.78 ¥12.07

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.24 ¥8.44

61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 BGN 3.00

$1.50 ¥10.15

20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 BGN 4.34

$1.15 ¥7.81

126.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.75 ¥5.09

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$0.86 ¥5.83

24.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$0.62 ¥4.18

70.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$0.56 ¥3.82

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 BGN 6.07

$3.51 ¥23.83

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 BGN 11.95

$11.66 ¥79.1

-38.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.80 ¥5.41

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 BGN 2.86

$1.66 ¥11.28

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.43 ¥2.93

111.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.66 BGN 49.34

$20.86 ¥141

42.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BGN 2.39

$1.37 ¥9.29

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$0.35 ¥2.39

94.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.31 BGN 20.48

$6.63 ¥44.96

85.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 BGN 2.60

$1.14 ¥7.72

36.84%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

$19.2K ¥130.1K

66.31%

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

$27.8K BGN 46.3K

$16.8K ¥113.7K

65.90%

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

$126 BGN 210

$51.2 ¥347

146.22%

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

$17.79 BGN 29.60

$10.16 ¥68.9

75.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.75 BGN 24.54

$11.51 ¥78.1

28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.85 BGN 58.0

$40.53 ¥275

-14.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.61 BGN 25.97

$15.05 ¥102

3.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$6.10 ¥41.39

47.05%

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

$536 BGN 891

$402 ¥2,728

33.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,636 BGN 12.7K

$17.7K ¥119.9K

-56.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 BGN 95.3

$45.57 ¥309

25.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.95 BGN 54.8

$33.26 ¥226

-0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 BGN 159

$72.6 ¥493

31.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 169

$74.5 ¥505

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 BGN 814

$429 ¥2,912

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 BGN 636

$257 ¥1,745

48.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 BGN 1,446

$895 ¥6,074

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 BGN 1,059

$541 ¥3,672

17.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,406 BGN 4,003

$5,015 ¥34.0K

-52.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,671 BGN 2,780

$2,469 ¥16.7K

-32.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,162 BGN 1,932

$1,055 ¥7,154

10.14%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $310 in Bulgaria, $286 in China. Capital cities: $696 in Sofia vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,079 in Bulgaria, $861 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 25% 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 $1,044 per month in Bulgaria and $865 in China, there's a 21% 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.