Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilversum and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $956 a month against $2,920 in Hilversum, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in Hilversum
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Hilversum Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Hilversum

🇳🇱 Netherlands

$2,920

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hilversum 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 Hilversum and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,920 per month in Hilversum vs $956 in Bansko, rent included.

Hilversum $2,920
Bansko $956

A couple spends around $4,236 per month in Hilversum vs $1,467 in Bansko, rent included.

Hilversum $4,236
Bansko $1,467

A family of three spends $5,553 per month in Hilversum vs $1,979 in Bansko, rent included.

Hilversum $5,553
Bansko $1,979

Hilversum costs about 205% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Hilversum sits 116% above the global median, while Bansko is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.73 €24.67

$8.66 BGN 15.06

220.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 €70.7

$44.94 BGN 78.2

76.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.70 €14.85

$8.78 BGN 15.28

90.21%

Cappuccino

$4.30 €3.82

$2.33 BGN 4.05

84.55%

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

$3.92 €3.49

$1.57 BGN 2.74

149.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.65

$0.82 BGN 1.43

263.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 €4.92

$1.68 BGN 2.92

229.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 €4.92

$1.98 BGN 3.45

179.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.61

$1.73 BGN 3.00

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 €2.11

$0.80 BGN 1.40

196.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.47 €3.09

$1.44 BGN 2.51

140.97%

Eggs

$5.27 €4.69

$2.36 BGN 4.10

123.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 €12.72

$9.39 BGN 16.34

52.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.89 €12.35

$6.41 BGN 11.15

116.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 €14.64

$8.48 BGN 14.76

94.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 €2.25

$1.31 BGN 2.28

93.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 €2.38

$1.62 BGN 2.82

65.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 €2.41

$1.73 BGN 3.01

56.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.21 €4.63

$1.94 BGN 3.38

168.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 €1.68

$0.94 BGN 1.63

101.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.98

$0.76 BGN 1.32

193.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 €1.32

$0.55 BGN 0.95

169.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.02

$0.59 BGN 1.02

93.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.60 €11.21

$3.25 BGN 5.66

287.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 €6.07

$5.20 BGN 9.05

31.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.31

$1.09 BGN 1.89

35.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 €2.42

$1.68 BGN 2.92

61.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.62 €3.22

$0.84 BGN 1.45

330.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 €58.7

$27.06 BGN 47.09

144.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.50 €4.89

$1.34 BGN 2.34

310.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.44 €3.06

$0.65 BGN 1.14

429.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.12 €19.67

$10.06 BGN 17.51

119.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.39 €2.13

$1.48 BGN 2.57

61.49%

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

$41.8K €37.2K

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

43.51%

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

$42.6K €37.9K

$20.9K BGN 36.4K

103.52%

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

$265 €236

$92.4 BGN 161

186.63%

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

$28.28 €25.15

$14.52 BGN 25.26

94.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 €56.2

$12.32 BGN 21.43

412.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 €60.5

$31.70 BGN 55.2

114.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.61 €29.89

$8.53 BGN 14.84

294.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.73 €14.88

$5.62 BGN 9.78

197.69%

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

$678 €603

$230 BGN 401

194.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K €13.9K

$2,268 BGN 3,947

589.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €100

$30.10 BGN 52.4

275.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 €42.60

$19.62 BGN 34.13

144.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 €80.4

$45.86 BGN 79.8

96.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 €126

$47.69 BGN 83.0

196.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 €1,497

$518 BGN 902

224.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 €1,274

$357 BGN 621

301.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,924 €2,601

$614 BGN 1,069

376.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,281 €2,029

$569 BGN 990

300.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,800 €6,049

$1,191 BGN 2,073

470.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,225 €4,648

$959 BGN 1,669

444.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,910 €3,478

$1,704 BGN 2,965

129.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

2.99

43.81%

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

Last update for Hilversum: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hilversum

$1.4K 49.1%

Bansko

$357 37.3% 75.1% $1.1K

Eating Out

Hilversum

$390 13.4%

Bansko

$145 15.2% 62.7% $244

Groceries & Markets

Hilversum

$360 12.3%

Bansko

$192 20.1% 46.8% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hilversum

$356 12.2%

Bansko

$119 12.5% 66.5% $237

Clothing & Footwear

Hilversum

$177 6.1%

Bansko

$64 6.7% 63.5% $112

Getting Around

Hilversum

$103 3.5%

Bansko

$35 3.7% 66.1% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Hilversum

$101 3.5%

Bansko

$43 4.5% 57.6% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Hilversum versus $518 in Bansko. 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 129% higher in Hilversum, 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 $80.0 in Hilversum versus $45.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $192 – making Bansko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇱 Hilversum

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

02:47 2:47 AM

03:47 3:47 AM

1 h ahead of Hilversum

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

93,345

8,000

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hilversum Bansko 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Hilversum
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

Hilversum vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,920 in Hilversum, $956 in Bansko – roughly 205% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,380 per month in Hilversum and $1,434 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, 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 $80.0 in Hilversum and $45.00 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 $2,920 in Hilversum and $956 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 205%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $956, than in Hilversum at $2,920. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hilversum 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 $956 in Bansko to $2,920 in Hilversum. 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 Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hilversum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.