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

Name: Bulgaria
Address: BG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $913 in Bulgaria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,417 in Bulgaria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,921 in Bulgaria.

Living in China costs about 22% less than in Bulgaria on average.

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

China ($535–$1,206) and Bulgaria ($718–$1,381) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$11.69 BGN 19.45

-75.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$47.13 BGN 78.4

-50.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$8.66 BGN 14.41

-44.23%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$2.26 BGN 3.76

34.51%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.51 BGN 2.52

-70.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$1.07 BGN 1.78

-74.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$2.40 BGN 4.00

-58.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$2.97 BGN 4.93

-31.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.81 BGN 3.01

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.02 BGN 1.70

63.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-53.81%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$3.40 BGN 5.66

-54.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$11.04 BGN 18.37

20.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$8.21 BGN 13.65

-60.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$12.12 BGN 20.16

-10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.64 BGN 2.72

10.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-54.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$1.12 BGN 1.86

-34.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$1.07 BGN 1.78

-18.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.69 BGN 1.15

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$3.67 BGN 6.11

-3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$7.25 BGN 12.06

61.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.07 BGN 1.78

-21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$1.71 BGN 2.84

-2.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.92 BGN 1.54

-55.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$29.93 BGN 49.79

-30.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-1.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.72 BGN 1.20

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$12.18 BGN 20.26

-43.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.57 BGN 2.60

-28.66%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$32.3K BGN 53.7K

-40.60%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$27.8K BGN 46.3K

-39.21%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$123 BGN 205

-57.99%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$17.99 BGN 29.93

-45.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$14.67 BGN 24.41

-24.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$36.02 BGN 59.9

8.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$16.19 BGN 26.93

-8.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$8.94 BGN 14.87

-30.09%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$538 BGN 896

-24.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$7,738 BGN 12.9K

130.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$57.0 BGN 94.8

-19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$34.20 BGN 56.9

-5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$96.7 BGN 161

-24.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$101 BGN 167

-27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$496 BGN 826

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$378 BGN 628

-32.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$874 BGN 1,455

5.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$634 BGN 1,054

-16.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$2,390 BGN 3,976

106.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,709 BGN 2,843

45.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$1,167 BGN 1,942

-9.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.92

3.57%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Bulgaria: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $310 in Bulgaria. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $680 in Sofia.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $1,073 in Bulgaria. 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 39% more expensive in Bulgaria.

Salaries are 24% 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

China vs Bulgaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,050 per month in Bulgaria and $871 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.