Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jamestown and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown: $89.5 a month against $970 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Jamestown

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$89.5

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $89.5 per month in Jamestown vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

Jamestown $89.5
Bansko $970

A couple spends around $154 per month in Jamestown vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

Jamestown $154
Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $219 per month in Jamestown vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

Jamestown $219
Bansko $1,957

Jamestown is about 91% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Jamestown and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Jamestown 93% lower, Bansko 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BGN 15.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 BGN 81.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 BGN 15.77

Cappuccino

$2.24 BGN 3.92

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

$1.50 BGN 2.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BGN 3.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 SHP 1.37

$0.81 BGN 1.42

123.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 BGN 2.66

Eggs

$5.27 SHP 3.98

$2.30 BGN 4.02

129.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 BGN 16.81

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 BGN 11.06

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 SHP 8.15

$8.64 BGN 15.12

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 BGN 2.24

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.95

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.98

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 BGN 3.30

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.63

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 BGN 0.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SHP 0.98

$0.58 BGN 1.02

124.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 SHP 9.11

$3.44 BGN 6.02

250.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 BGN 9.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 BGN 1.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.76 BGN 46.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 BGN 2.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 BGN 17.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.63

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

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

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

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

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

$91.4 BGN 160

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

$14.68 BGN 25.68

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.07 BGN 21.12

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 BGN 56.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 BGN 15.05

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BGN 9.86

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

$228 BGN 400

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,311 BGN 4,045

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 BGN 53.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.01 BGN 33.26

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 BGN 79.7

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.67 BGN 85.2

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 BGN 913

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 BGN 643

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 BGN 1,110

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 BGN 976

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,204 BGN 2,106

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 BGN 1,699

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,670 BGN 2,923

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

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

Last update for Jamestown: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$367 38%

Groceries & Markets

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$193 20%

Eating Out

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$145 15%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$118 12.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$65 6.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$44 4.5%

Getting Around

Jamestown

–

Bansko

$35 3.6%

Good to know

🇸🇭 Jamestown

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

06:19 6:19 AM

09:19 9:19 AM

3 h ahead of Jamestown

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

600 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 SHP = 1.32 USD

1 SHP = 1.18 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to SHP – Saint Helena Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇭 Saint Helena Pound (£)

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.755 SHP (1 SHP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.847 SHP (1 SHP = 1.18 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to SHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Jamestown Bansko 7,090 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Jamestown
Bansko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Jamestown vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $89.5 in Jamestown, $970 in Bansko – roughly 983% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $134 per month in Jamestown and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $89.5 in Jamestown and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 983%.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Bansko, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $89.5, than in Bansko at $970. In Jamestown 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 $89.5 in Jamestown to $970 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 Jamestown. 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.