Cost of Living Comparison Between Kardzhali and Plovdiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Kardzhali and Plovdiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,079 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,702 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Kardzhali vs $2,325 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Kardzhali is about 33% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kardzhali and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Kardzhali 47% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BGN 14.32

$8.83 BGN 14.69

-2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.23 BGN 43.63

$47.68 BGN 79.3

-44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 BGN 14.95

$8.74 BGN 14.54

2.75%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BGN 1.99

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-51.02%

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

$0.85 BGN 1.42

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-43.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$0.85 BGN 1.41

63.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$3.02 BGN 5.02

-46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 BGN 2.20

$2.92 BGN 4.86

-54.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$1.80 BGN 3.00

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 BGN 1.39

$1.01 BGN 1.69

-16.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-14.29%

Eggs

$3.19 BGN 5.30

$3.41 BGN 5.67

-6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 BGN 20.70

$11.58 BGN 19.27

7.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.51 BGN 14.15

$7.71 BGN 12.82

10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 BGN 21.50

$12.19 BGN 20.28

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.07

$1.58 BGN 2.63

17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 BGN 3.13

$1.76 BGN 2.93

6.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 BGN 3.37

$1.62 BGN 2.69

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 BGN 3.66

$2.43 BGN 4.05

-9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-9.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$1.09 BGN 1.82

-20.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BGN 1.19

$0.82 BGN 1.36

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 BGN 6.49

$3.48 BGN 5.78

12.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 BGN 7.69

$5.94 BGN 9.89

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.07 BGN 1.79

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.80 BGN 2.99

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 BGN 0.46

$0.60 BGN 1.00

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.71 BGN 14.50

$28.43 BGN 47.30

-69.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-9.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$0.64 BGN 1.07

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 BGN 23.45

$10.74 BGN 17.87

31.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BGN 2.57

$1.59 BGN 2.65

-2.52%

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

$32.7K BGN 54.3K

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

1.10%

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

$28.8K BGN 47.9K

$28.5K BGN 47.5K

0.83%

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

$61.2 BGN 102

$94.3 BGN 157

-35.07%

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

$17.92 BGN 29.81

$18.13 BGN 30.17

-1.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.95 BGN 9.89

$15.02 BGN 24.99

-60.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.55 BGN 49.17

$37.21 BGN 61.9

-20.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 BGN 24.79

$14.90 BGN 24.78

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 BGN 15.95

$8.89 BGN 14.79

7.76%

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

$619 BGN 1,031

$416 BGN 692

48.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,147 BGN 15.2K

$7,099 BGN 11.8K

28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.54 BGN 49.14

$60.4 BGN 100

-51.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.90 BGN 29.77

$35.87 BGN 59.7

-50.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.04 BGN 78.3

$100 BGN 167

-53.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 BGN 149

$107 BGN 177

-16.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 BGN 195

$471 BGN 784

-75.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 BGN 194

$335 BGN 557

-65.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 BGN 390

$835 BGN 1,390

-71.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BGN 350

$612 BGN 1,018

-65.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 BGN 1,964

$2,324 BGN 3,866

-49.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$887 BGN 1,475

$1,559 BGN 2,593

-43.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 BGN 2,207

$1,160 BGN 1,930

14.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

4.49

-30.96%

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

Last update for Kardzhali: June 7, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $117 in Kardzhali versus $471 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 14% 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 $26.00 in Kardzhali versus $48.00 in Plovdiv. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Kardzhali vs $237 in Plovdiv – so Plovdiv wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 50% more than Kardzhali, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Kardzhali and $1,619 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $718 in Kardzhali and $1,079 in Plovdiv. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 226% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Plovdiv at $1,079. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kardzhali costs $718 versus $1,079 in Plovdiv. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kardzhali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.