Cost of Living Comparison Between Haskovo and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Haskovo and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Haskovo versus $1,236 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,468 in Haskovo versus $1,976 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Haskovo versus $2,717 in Shanghai.

Living in Haskovo costs roughly 29% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Haskovo 36% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 BGN 17.10

$4.56 ¥30.52

125.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.56 BGN 80.8

$29.50 ¥198

64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 BGN 16.89

$5.37 ¥35.98

89.01%

Cappuccino

$2.05 BGN 3.42

$3.21 ¥21.49

-36.14%

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

$1.26 BGN 2.10

$0.61 ¥4.06

106.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$0.38 ¥2.56

171.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$1.21 ¥8.13

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 BGN 7.57

$2.71 ¥18.15

67.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BGN 2.84

$1.96 ¥13.13

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 BGN 1.17

$1.85 ¥12.37

-62.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.74

$1.04 ¥6.96

58.65%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.66

$1.57 ¥10.49

117.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 BGN 19.76

$17.49 ¥117

-32.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 BGN 13.03

$3.32 ¥22.23

135.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 BGN 14.76

$13.58 ¥91.0

-34.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 BGN 2.65

$2.12 ¥14.20

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.77 ¥11.84

9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 BGN 2.45

$1.99 ¥13.33

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.17

$1.77 ¥11.84

7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 BGN 1.32

$0.81 ¥5.44

-1.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 BGN 1.65

$1.01 ¥6.78

-1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 BGN 1.49

$0.70 ¥4.68

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.18

$0.66 ¥4.44

7.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 BGN 7.20

$3.80 ¥25.46

13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 BGN 12.85

$10.30 ¥69.0

-25.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BGN 1.34

$0.94 ¥6.27

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.58 ¥10.58

6.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BGN 1.14

$0.59 ¥3.92

15.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 BGN 39.75

$29.87 ¥200

-20.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 BGN 1.94

$2.21 ¥14.83

-47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.14

$0.47 ¥3.15

44.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.78 BGN 22.92

$8.95 ¥60.0

53.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 BGN 2.71

$1.28 ¥8.54

27.34%

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

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

$19.6K ¥131.0K

57.44%

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

$24.4K BGN 40.5K

$19.0K ¥127.1K

28.36%

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

$97.6 BGN 162

$59.3 ¥397

64.45%

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

$13.17 BGN 21.91

$8.62 ¥57.7

52.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.03 BGN 16.68

$9.90 ¥66.3

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 BGN 95.3

$65.6 ¥439

-12.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.13 BGN 48.46

$16.45 ¥110

77.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.39 BGN 13.95

$9.09 ¥60.9

-7.70%

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

$775 BGN 1,289

$1,439 ¥9,638

-46.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,338 BGN 3,890

$25.8K ¥172.6K

-90.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.18 BGN 78.5

$53.1 ¥355

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 BGN 75.0

$37.80 ¥253

19.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 BGN 137

$74.3 ¥497

10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.6 BGN 144

$107 ¥720

-19.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 BGN 403

$1,007 ¥6,743

-75.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 BGN 281

$565 ¥3,781

-70.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 BGN 640

$2,406 ¥16.1K

-84.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 BGN 520

$1,212 ¥8,120

-74.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,293 BGN 2,150

$13.8K ¥92.5K

-90.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,032 BGN 1,716

$6,147 ¥41.2K

-83.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,143 BGN 1,901

$1,734 ¥11.6K

-34.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.36

-13.69%

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

Last update for Haskovo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Haskovo and $1,007 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Haskovo vs $29.00 in Shanghai. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $240, with Haskovo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Haskovo vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haskovo wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haskovo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Shanghai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $242 in Haskovo versus $1,007 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Haskovo – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $29.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $880 in Haskovo versus $1,236 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Haskovo but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Haskovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Haskovo and Shanghai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haskovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.