Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kardzhali and Plovdiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Kardzhali: $651 a month against $1,227 in Plovdiv, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Kardzhali
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Kardzhali Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv Living Index

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Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$651

/mo nomad

Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,227

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kardzhali and in Plovdiv

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

A single person spends $651 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,227 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Kardzhali $651
Plovdiv $1,227

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,874 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,068
Plovdiv $1,874

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Kardzhali vs $2,522 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,484
Plovdiv $2,522

Kardzhali is about 47% cheaper than Plovdiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kardzhali and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Kardzhali 52% lower, Plovdiv 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 BGN 19.28

$9.16 BGN 16.03

20.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 BGN 40.45

$45.67 BGN 79.9

-49.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 BGN 15.52

$9.43 BGN 16.51

-5.94%

Cappuccino

$1.12 BGN 1.96

$2.86 BGN 5.01

-60.84%

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

$1.06 BGN 1.85

$1.76 BGN 3.08

-39.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.29

$1.58 BGN 2.77

-53.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 BGN 2.78

$2.54 BGN 4.44

-37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BGN 2.33

$4.35 BGN 7.61

-69.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.96

$1.81 BGN 3.17

-6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 BGN 1.25

$1.22 BGN 2.13

-40.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$2.23 BGN 3.91

-32.29%

Eggs

$2.83 BGN 4.95

$3.77 BGN 6.59

-24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 BGN 17.87

$11.62 BGN 20.33

-12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 BGN 9.68

$8.55 BGN 14.96

-35.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 BGN 11.52

$14.32 BGN 25.06

-54.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BGN 1.47

$1.62 BGN 2.84

-48.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.44

$1.84 BGN 3.23

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

$1.93 BGN 3.37

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 BGN 3.85

$2.63 BGN 4.61

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BGN 1.21

$1.09 BGN 1.91

-36.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BGN 2.29

$1.04 BGN 1.82

25.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 BGN 1.18

$1.16 BGN 2.03

-42.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BGN 1.31

$0.71 BGN 1.24

5.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 BGN 6.23

$3.90 BGN 6.82

-8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 BGN 7.66

$6.03 BGN 10.55

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BGN 1.75

$1.16 BGN 2.03

-13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BGN 2.47

$1.98 BGN 3.47

-28.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 BGN 0.96

$0.60 BGN 1.05

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.11 BGN 19.44

$29.11 BGN 51.0

-61.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 BGN 2.99

$1.29 BGN 2.26

32.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.23

$0.61 BGN 1.07

16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 BGN 9.52

$10.46 BGN 18.30

-47.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 BGN 2.84

$1.70 BGN 2.98

-4.71%

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

$30.2K BGN 52.9K

$30.3K BGN 53.1K

-0.31%

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

$24.0K BGN 42.1K

$24.6K BGN 43.1K

-2.31%

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

$61.4 BGN 107

$113 BGN 197

-45.55%

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

$5.56 BGN 9.73

$18.40 BGN 32.20

-69.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 BGN 13.80

$15.41 BGN 26.96

-48.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.90 BGN 40.08

$41.91 BGN 73.4

-45.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.61 BGN 36.07

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 BGN 15.33

$9.31 BGN 16.29

-5.91%

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

$230 BGN 402

$599 BGN 1,047

-61.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.6K

$5,404 BGN 9,456

171.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.89 BGN 40.05

$67.3 BGN 118

-66.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.69 BGN 22.21

$41.80 BGN 73.1

-69.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.21 BGN 80.9

$96.9 BGN 170

-52.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 BGN 131

$102 BGN 178

-26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 BGN 201

$553 BGN 968

-79.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 BGN 199

$420 BGN 734

-72.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 BGN 406

$880 BGN 1,539

-73.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 BGN 479

$663 BGN 1,160

-58.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 BGN 1,997

$2,228 BGN 3,899

-48.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 BGN 1,497

$1,512 BGN 2,646

-43.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,287 BGN 2,251

$1,162 BGN 2,033

10.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.1

4.84%

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

Last update for Kardzhali: October 27, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kardzhali

$187 28.7%

Plovdiv

$255 20.8% 36.5% $68

Eating Out

Kardzhali

$146 22.4%

Plovdiv

$171 13.9% 17% $25

Accommodation & Living

Kardzhali

$114 17.5%

Plovdiv

$420 34.2% 269% $306

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kardzhali

$75 11.5%

Plovdiv

$147 12% 95.9% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Kardzhali

$71 10.8%

Plovdiv

$139 11.3% 96.5% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Kardzhali

$40 6.2%

Plovdiv

$61 4.9% 49.7% $20

Getting Around

Kardzhali

$19 2.9%

Plovdiv

$36 2.9% 93.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Kardzhali versus $553 in Plovdiv. 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 11% higher in Kardzhali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Kardzhali versus $46 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $255 – making Kardzhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Plovdiv

🕒 Local time

08:00 8:00 AM

Same time as Kardzhali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,421

368,983

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Kardzhali Plovdiv 76 km

From you

Kardzhali
Plovdiv

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

Kardzhali vs Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plovdiv costs about 89% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $976 per month in Kardzhali and $1,840 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kardzhali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $115 there versus $553 in Plovdiv.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $651 in Kardzhali and $1,227 in Plovdiv. That makes Kardzhali about 47% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Plovdiv at $1,227. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kardzhali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Kardzhali is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 47% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.