Cost of Living Comparison Between Burgas and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Burgas and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Burgas vs $1,441 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Burgas vs $2,011 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,349 per month in Burgas vs $2,581 in Cartagena, rent included.

Burgas is about 20% cheaper than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burgas sits 14% below the global median, while Cartagena is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$14.12 €12.16

-17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.24 BGN 68.6

$57.4 €49.46

-28.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 BGN 14.39

$8.06 €6.94

7.32%

Cappuccino

$2.56 BGN 4.26

$2.67 €2.30

-4.12%

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

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$2.39 €2.06

-44.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 BGN 1.11

$1.97 €1.70

-65.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 BGN 3.53

$3.38 €2.91

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BGN 4.87

$3.39 €2.92

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.14 €0.98

47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 BGN 1.49

$0.99 €0.86

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$1.68 €1.44

14.88%

Eggs

$3.36 BGN 5.59

$2.92 €2.51

15.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 BGN 15.24

$11.24 €9.68

-18.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 BGN 13.51

$8.43 €7.26

-3.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 BGN 18.85

$14.28 €12.30

-20.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 BGN 3.25

$2.32 €2.00

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$1.78 €1.53

20.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$1.39 €1.20

48.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.28

$1.76 €1.52

46.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 BGN 2.40

$1.29 €1.11

11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$1.10 €0.94

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 BGN 1.68

$1.05 €0.90

-3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.38

$0.56 €0.48

48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 BGN 6.14

$5.92 €5.10

-37.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 BGN 10.99

$6.49 €5.59

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BGN 1.61

$1.10 €0.95

-11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BGN 3.01

$1.26 €1.08

43.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BGN 1.39

$1.37 €1.18

-38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 BGN 58.5

$11.49 €9.89

205.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$3.44 €2.97

-64.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.09

$1.20 €1.03

-45.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 BGN 21.92

$24.41 €21.02

-46.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.82 €1.57

-17.03%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.0K

$31.3K €26.9K

1.90%

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

$25.4K BGN 42.3K

$31.8K €27.3K

-19.87%

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

$92.9 BGN 155

$146 €126

-36.28%

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

$16.94 BGN 28.17

$13.26 €11.42

27.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.94 BGN 23.19

$29.90 €25.75

-53.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.85 BGN 51.3

$39.51 €34.02

-21.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.04 BGN 25.03

$14.85 €12.79

1.28%

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 BGN 14.77

$8.08 €6.96

9.90%

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

$239 BGN 398

$419 €361

-43.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,055 BGN 6,747

$2,792 €2,404

45.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 BGN 101

$44.88 €38.64

35.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.62 BGN 69.2

$31.26 €26.92

33.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 BGN 137

$44.35 €38.19

86.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 BGN 121

$76.3 €65.7

-4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 BGN 868

$786 €677

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 BGN 644

$627 €540

-38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 BGN 1,433

$920 €792

-6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 BGN 1,013

$776 €668

-21.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,471 BGN 4,111

$1,780 €1,532

38.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 BGN 3,102

$1,469 €1,265

26.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,029 BGN 1,712

$1,934 €1,665

-46.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

3.44

32.85%

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

Last update for Burgas: June 16, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Burgas versus $786 in Cartagena. 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 88% higher in Cartagena, 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 $41.00 in Burgas versus $57.0 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Burgas vs $233 in Cartagena – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Burgas vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,147 in Burgas, $1,441 in Cartagena – roughly 26% apart. Cartagena costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,721 per month in Burgas and $2,161 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Burgas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 206% less in Burgas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $239 per month in Burgas and $419 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Burgas, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Cartagena at $1,441. In Burgas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Burgas has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,147 in Burgas to $1,441 in Cartagena. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Burgas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cartagena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.