Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Bulgaria Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Bulgaria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $389 in India versus $916 in Bulgaria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $618 in India versus $1,423 in Bulgaria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $1,929 in Bulgaria.

Living in India costs about 58% less than in Bulgaria on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Bulgaria 32% lower.

India ($272โ€“$901) and Bulgaria ($725โ€“$1,398) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.53 โ‚น237
$11.69 BGNย 19.53
-78.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.21 โ‚น1,334
$47.55 BGNย 79.4
-70.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.03 โ‚น379
$9.03 BGNย 15.08
-55.37%
Cappuccino
$1.81 โ‚น169
$2.33 BGNย 3.89
-22.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 โ‚น40.61
$1.55 BGNย 2.60
-72.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 โ‚น13.59
$1.08 BGNย 1.80
-87.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 โ‚น191
$2.31 BGNย 3.86
-12.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 โ‚น334
$3.02 BGNย 5.04
17.88%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 โ‚น68.9
$1.77 BGNย 2.95
-58.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 โ‚น48.31
$1.01 BGNย 1.69
-49.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.71 โ‚น67.0
$2.08 BGNย 3.47
-65.87%
Eggs
$0.92 โ‚น86.2
$3.39 BGNย 5.65
-72.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.38 โ‚น505
$11.08 BGNย 18.50
-51.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.15 โ‚น296
$7.78 BGNย 13.00
-59.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.26 BGNย 20.47
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 โ‚น205
$1.70 BGNย 2.84
28.82%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 โ‚น71.4
$2.00 BGNย 3.34
-62.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.05 โ‚น98.9
$1.82 BGNย 3.03
-42.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.54 โ‚น50.3
$2.63 BGNย 4.39
-79.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.39 โ‚น37.01
$1.13 BGNย 1.89
-65.49%
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 โ‚น42.44
$1.10 BGNย 1.83
-59.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 โ‚น51.7
$1.06 BGNย 1.78
-48.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 โ‚น30.72
$0.67 BGNย 1.12
-50.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 โ‚น387
$3.81 BGNย 6.37
8.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.51 โ‚น705
$7.31 BGNย 12.21
2.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 โ‚น176
$1.07 BGNย 1.79
74.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 โ‚น282
$1.71 BGNย 2.85
76.02%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.74 โ‚น539
-
-
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
India
Bulgaria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 โ‚น34.39
$0.90 BGNย 1.50
-58.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.64 โ‚น905
$29.65 BGNย 49.51
-67.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.89 โ‚น83.9
$1.39 BGNย 2.32
-35.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 โ‚น26.14
$0.66 BGNย 1.11
-57.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.70 โ‚น160
$12.17 BGNย 20.33
-86.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 โ‚น115
$1.52 BGNย 2.53
-19.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K โ‚น1.3M
$32.3K BGNย 54.0K
-57.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K โ‚น2.1M
$27.9K BGNย 46.6K
-20.15%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.60 โ‚น3,717
$124 BGNย 207
-68.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.88 โ‚น364
$17.40 BGNย 29.06
-77.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.76 โ‚น729
$14.71 BGNย 24.57
-47.25%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.21 โ‚น1,521
$35.61 BGNย 59.5
-54.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.67 โ‚น720
$15.88 BGNย 26.51
-51.70%
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 โ‚น321
$8.92 BGNย 14.90
-61.66%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$70.4 โ‚น6,611
$536 BGNย 896
-86.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,830 โ‚น171.8K
$7,555 BGNย 12.6K
-75.78%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.48 โ‚น2,392
$58.2 BGNย 97.2
-56.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.46 โ‚น2,484
$33.16 BGNย 55.4
-20.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$45.74 โ‚น4,293
$95.4 BGNย 159
-52.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.10 โ‚น3,106
$99.5 BGNย 166
-66.74%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
India
Bulgaria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$173 โ‚น16.2K
$483 BGNย 806
-64.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$111 โ‚น10.5K
$375 BGNย 626
-70.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$409 โ‚น38.4K
$885 BGNย 1,479
-53.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$255 โ‚น23.9K
$645 BGNย 1,077
-60.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,223 โ‚น114.8K
$2,386 BGNย 3,984
-48.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$633 โ‚น59.4K
$1,573 BGNย 2,627
-59.73%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
India
Bulgaria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$435 โ‚น40.8K
$1,166 BGNย 1,947
-62.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.02
3.92
130.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for India: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bulgaria: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $127 in India, $309 in Bulgaria. Capital cities: $234 in Delhi vs $683 in Sofia.

National salary averages: $404 in India, $1,069 in Bulgaria. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ€“ weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 143% higher in Bulgaria.

Dining out costs 218% more in Bulgaria.

Public transport is 189% more expensive in Bulgaria.

Salaries are 165% higher in Bulgaria, giving Bulgaria stronger purchasing power.

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
India vs Bulgaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Bulgaria compare to India?
At $1,062 per month in Bulgaria and $587 in India, there's a 81% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ€“ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Bulgaria vs India?
India 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.
Is rent more expensive in Bulgaria or India?
Rent in Bulgaria beats India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Bulgaria and India on $1,000 per month?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In Bulgaria, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ€“ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Bulgaria or India?
It depends on what you're after. India wins on affordability; Bulgaria may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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