Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotabato City and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Cotabato City: $764 a month against $965 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Cotabato City
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Cotabato City Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

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Cotabato City

🇵🇭 Philippines

$764

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$965

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cotabato City and in Bansko

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

A single person spends $764 per month in Cotabato City vs $965 in Bansko, rent included.

Cotabato City $764
Bansko $965

A couple spends around $1,169 per month in Cotabato City vs $1,481 in Bansko, rent included.

Cotabato City $1,169
Bansko $1,481

A family of three spends $1,574 per month in Cotabato City vs $1,998 in Bansko, rent included.

Cotabato City $1,574
Bansko $1,998

Cotabato City is about 21% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Cotabato City and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Cotabato City 44% lower, Bansko 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ₱293

$8.74 BGN 15.20

-46.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.57 ₱1,044

$46.37 BGN 80.7

-64.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₱252

$8.92 BGN 15.52

-55.16%

Cappuccino

$2.23 ₱141

$2.27 BGN 3.94

-1.76%

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

$1.04 ₱65.4

$1.57 BGN 2.73

-33.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₱40.49

$0.89 BGN 1.54

-28.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ₱73.4

$1.73 BGN 3.01

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱120

$1.95 BGN 3.39

-2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ₱127

$1.79 BGN 3.11

12.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 ₱68.0

$0.81 BGN 1.42

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₱49.16

$1.51 BGN 2.62

-48.34%

Eggs

$1.89 ₱119

$2.35 BGN 4.09

-19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 ₱404

$9.55 BGN 16.61

-32.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₱294

$6.63 BGN 11.54

-29.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.06 ₱570

$8.37 BGN 14.57

8.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 ₱172

$1.30 BGN 2.26

110.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₱69.9

$1.68 BGN 2.93

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 ₱154

$1.68 BGN 2.92

45.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ₱75.3

$1.92 BGN 3.34

-37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 ₱122

$0.94 BGN 1.63

106.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 ₱224

$0.75 BGN 1.31

373.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₱75.4

$0.59 BGN 1.02

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱44.58

$0.58 BGN 1.02

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₱156

$3.26 BGN 5.67

-24.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 ₱507

$5.20 BGN 9.04

55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ₱77.1

$1.14 BGN 1.98

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₱106

$1.74 BGN 3.03

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.40

$0.90 BGN 1.57

-71.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.02 ₱694

$26.72 BGN 46.50

-58.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱52.8

$1.30 BGN 2.26

-35.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.37

$0.61 BGN 1.06

-62.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₱122

$10.29 BGN 17.91

-81.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₱74.4

$1.56 BGN 2.71

-24.36%

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

$21.5K ₱1.4M

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

-26.30%

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

$18.7K ₱1.2M

$21.3K BGN 37.1K

-12.43%

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

$108 ₱6,788

$92.8 BGN 161

16.16%

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

$19.38 ₱1,220

$15.05 BGN 26.18

28.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.55 ₱1,986

$12.19 BGN 21.21

158.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.71 ₱2,060

$32.83 BGN 57.1

-0.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.78 ₱301

$8.40 BGN 14.61

-43.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 ₱292

$5.56 BGN 9.67

-16.55%

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

$107 ₱6,709

$230 BGN 400

-53.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,519 ₱473.4K

$2,295 BGN 3,994

227.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.49 ₱2,109

$30.31 BGN 52.7

10.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.69 ₱1,240

$19.41 BGN 33.78

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ₱4,483

$45.34 BGN 78.9

57.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 ₱3,825

$48.47 BGN 84.3

25.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₱17.0K

$514 BGN 894

-47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱11.0K

$361 BGN 627

-51.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ₱33.0K

$630 BGN 1,096

-16.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₱22.5K

$571 BGN 993

-37.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,445 ₱154.0K

$1,202 BGN 2,091

103.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$999 ₱62.9K

$972 BGN 1,691

2.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 BGN 2,898

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

2.99

177.93%

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

Last update for Cotabato City: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Cotabato City

$199 26.1%

Bansko

$194 20.2% 2.5% $4.9

Accommodation & Living

Cotabato City

$174 22.8%

Bansko

$361 37.4% 107% $187

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cotabato City

$159 20.8%

Bansko

$120 12.5% 24.4% $39

Eating Out

Cotabato City

$92 12.1%

Bansko

$146 15.2% 58.3% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Cotabato City

$83 10.9%

Bansko

$65 6.7% 22.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Cotabato City

$42 5.5%

Bansko

$44 4.6% 4.6% $1.9

Getting Around

Cotabato City

$14 1.8%

Bansko

$35 3.6% 147% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Cotabato City versus $514 in Bansko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Cotabato City versus $46.00 in Bansko. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Cotabato City vs $194 in Bansko – so Bansko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cotabato City

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

21:09 9:09 PM

5 h behind Cotabato City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

325,079

8,000

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cotabato City Bansko 10,350 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cotabato City
Bansko

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

Cotabato City vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $764 in Cotabato City, $965 in Bansko – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Cotabato City and $1,447 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Cotabato City and $46.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Cotabato City and $965 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 26%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cotabato City, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Bansko at $965. In Cotabato City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $764 in Cotabato City to $965 in Bansko. 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 Cotabato City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.