Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulgaria and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulgaria: $1,159 a month against $2,727 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Bulgaria
Learn more

Bulgaria Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,159

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bulgaria and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bulgaria and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Bulgaria versus $2,727 in the United States.

Bulgaria $1,159
United States $2,727

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Bulgaria versus $4,009 in the United States.

Bulgaria $1,775
United States $4,009

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,390 in Bulgaria versus $5,291 in the United States.

Bulgaria $2,390
United States $5,291

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $977 to $5,215, compared to $554–$1,600 in Bulgaria. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Bulgaria costs about 58% less than in the United States on average.

Bulgaria (14% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 BGN 19.86

$19.73 $19.73

-42.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.05 BGN 78.4

$81.0 $81.0

-44.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 BGN 18.06

$11.98 $11.98

-13.36%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.49

$5.59 $5.59

-53.85%

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

$1.62 BGN 2.81

$2.78 $2.78

-41.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 BGN 2.14

$2.10 $2.10

-41.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 BGN 3.91

$5.98 $5.98

-62.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 BGN 5.81

$7.92 $7.92

-57.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$1.03 $1.03

77.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 BGN 2.05

$3.75 $3.75

-68.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 BGN 3.93

$4.46 $4.46

-49.33%

Eggs

$3.44 BGN 5.98

$4.34 $4.34

-20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 BGN 17.67

$12.75 $12.75

-20.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 BGN 13.91

$12.27 $12.27

-34.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 BGN 22.63

$17.29 $17.29

-24.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.96

$5.31 $5.31

-67.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 BGN 3.50

$1.67 $1.67

20.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.19

$4.32 $4.32

-57.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 BGN 4.65

$5.03 $5.03

-46.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.84

$2.81 $2.81

-62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$3.05 $3.05

-66.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.85

$2.22 $2.22

-52.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.24

$2.35 $2.35

-69.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 BGN 6.62

$10.92 $10.92

-65.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 BGN 11.63

$14.87 $14.87

-55.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.86

$2.10 $2.10

-49.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 3.06

$3.62 $3.62

-51.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

$2.46 $2.46

-64.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 BGN 48.18

$65.7 $65.7

-57.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 BGN 2.64

$3.58 $3.58

-57.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 BGN 1.27

$1.90 $1.90

-61.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.25 BGN 21.31

$29.51 $29.51

-58.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 BGN 2.79

$1.02 $1.02

57.84%

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

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

$28.3K $28.3K

6.55%

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

$24.5K BGN 42.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-5.53%

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

$126 BGN 220

$221 $221

-42.86%

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

$18.70 BGN 32.54

$61.3 $61.3

-69.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.05 BGN 24.44

$73.3 $73.3

-80.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 BGN 58.6

$44.89 $44.89

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 BGN 31.43

$22.65 $22.65

-20.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 BGN 14.85

$15.16 $15.16

-43.73%

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

$567 BGN 986

$1,471 $1,471

-61.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,482 BGN 16.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

-62.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 BGN 102

$53.5 $53.5

9.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.29 BGN 57.9

$43.76 $43.76

-23.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 BGN 157

$92.0 $92.0

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 BGN 156

$114 $114

-21.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 BGN 832

$1,654 $1,654

-71.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 BGN 633

$1,332 $1,332

-72.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 BGN 1,359

$2,669 $2,669

-70.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 BGN 1,007

$2,207 $2,207

-73.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,178 BGN 3,791

$3,054 $3,054

-28.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,601 BGN 2,785

$2,522 $2,522

-36.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,129 BGN 1,965

$4,391 $4,391

-74.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

6.55

-51.76%

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

Last update for Bulgaria: October 17, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bulgaria

$364 31.4%

United States

$1.3K 48.9% 266% $968

Groceries & Markets

Bulgaria

$244 21%

United States

$413 15.1% 69.2% $169

Eating Out

Bulgaria

$183 15.8%

United States

$326 12% 78.5% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bulgaria

$159 13.7%

United States

$355 13% 124% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Bulgaria

$122 10.6%

United States

$137 5% 11.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Bulgaria

$51 4.4%

United States

$75 2.8% 48.3% $24

Getting Around

Bulgaria

$36 3.1%

United States

$89 3.3% 144% $52

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $328 in Bulgaria, $1,612 in the United States. Capital cities: $770 in Sofia vs $2,743 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,044 in Bulgaria, $4,548 in the United States. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 391% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 92% more in the United States.

Public transport is 23% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 336% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

12:45 12:45 PM

05:45 5:45 AM

7 h behind Bulgaria

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,795,803

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bulgaria United States 8,810 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Bulgaria
United States

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

Bulgaria vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,159 per month in Bulgaria and $2,727 in the United States, there's a 135% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Bulgaria: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,612 in the United States and $328 in Bulgaria. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Bulgaria, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

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