Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $813 per month in Karlovo vs $2,316 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Karlovo vs $3,361 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,834 per month in Karlovo vs $4,405 in Lisbon, rent included.

Karlovo is about 65% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Karlovo sits 41% below the global median, while Lisbon is 69% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 BGN 12.34

$17.30 €14.89

-57.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.60 BGN 59.2

$63.3 €54.4

-43.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.91

$11.39 €9.80

-21.33%

Cappuccino

$1.46 BGN 2.43

$3.19 €2.75

-54.23%

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

$1.07 BGN 1.77

$2.45 €2.10

-56.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$1.76 €1.52

-55.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$3.59 €3.09

-40.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$3.39 €2.92

-46.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$1.24 €1.06

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$1.98 €1.71

-54.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 BGN 3.25

$1.52 €1.31

28.29%

Eggs

$3.52 BGN 5.86

$4.04 €3.48

-12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 BGN 15.42

$13.54 €11.65

-31.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.02

$8.39 €7.22

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 BGN 9.60

$18.25 €15.70

-68.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 BGN 2.24

$2.29 €1.97

-41.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$1.74 €1.50

18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.29

$1.86 €1.60

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 BGN 3.79

$2.63 €2.26

-13.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 BGN 0.78

$1.92 €1.65

-75.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$2.09 €1.80

-56.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 BGN 1.70

$1.44 €1.24

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BGN 1.34

$0.84 €0.72

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 BGN 5.81

$6.78 €5.83

-48.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 BGN 11.55

$5.71 €4.91

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 BGN 1.67

$1.38 €1.18

-26.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$2.22 €1.91

-16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$2.40 €2.06

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.48 BGN 42.38

$46.78 €40.25

-45.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 BGN 2.04

$4.17 €3.59

-70.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$1.14 €0.98

-29.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.41 BGN 20.64

$17.68 €15.21

-29.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 BGN 2.43

$2.32 €2.00

-37.07%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.8K

$35.3K €30.4K

-10.24%

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

$23.3K BGN 38.8K

$41.4K €35.7K

-43.67%

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

$112 BGN 186

$170 €147

-34.24%

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

$15.02 BGN 24.99

$19.34 €16.64

-22.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.13 BGN 20.18

$33.64 €28.95

-63.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.72 BGN 52.8

$48.10 €41.39

-34.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 BGN 33.49

$19.90 €17.12

1.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 BGN 9.59

$9.92 €8.54

-41.94%

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

$242 BGN 402

$717 €617

-66.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,030 BGN 10.0K

$17.5K €15.0K

-65.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.31 BGN 48.75

$105 €90.2

-72.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.66 BGN 19.41

$46.95 €40.40

-75.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.3 BGN 96.9

$103 €89.0

-43.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.83 BGN 77.9

$124 €107

-62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$351 BGN 583

$1,677 €1,443

-79.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 BGN 332

$1,271 €1,094

-84.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 BGN 931

$2,985 €2,568

-81.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 BGN 691

$1,992 €1,715

-79.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 BGN 2,610

$7,826 €6,734

-79.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 BGN 1,884

$4,658 €4,008

-75.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 BGN 794

$1,583 €1,362

-69.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.79

-14.25%

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

Last update for Karlovo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Karlovo versus $1,677 in Lisbon. 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 232% higher in Lisbon, 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 $36.00 in Karlovo versus $63.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $283 – making Karlovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Karlovo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 185%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,220 per month in Karlovo and $3,474 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlovo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 84% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Karlovo and $717 in Lisbon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Karlovo, where all-in costs run around $813, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Karlovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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