Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovo and Plovdiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlovo: $785 a month against $1,191 in Plovdiv, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Karlovo
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Karlovo Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv Living Index

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Karlovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$785

/mo nomad

Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $785 per month in Karlovo vs $1,191 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Karlovo $785
Plovdiv $1,191

A couple spends around $1,263 per month in Karlovo vs $1,852 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Karlovo $1,263
Plovdiv $1,852

A family of three spends $1,742 per month in Karlovo vs $2,512 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Karlovo $1,742
Plovdiv $2,512

Karlovo is about 34% cheaper than Plovdiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Karlovo and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Karlovo 42% lower, Plovdiv 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 BGN 12.34

$9.02 BGN 15.70

-21.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.57 BGN 58.4

$44.57 BGN 77.6

-24.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 15.07

$9.55 BGN 16.62

-9.32%

Cappuccino

$1.45 BGN 2.53

$2.86 BGN 4.98

-49.30%

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

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$1.78 BGN 3.09

-42.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.28

$1.51 BGN 2.62

-50.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 BGN 3.41

$2.55 BGN 4.43

-23.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 BGN 3.04

$4.34 BGN 7.55

-59.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 BGN 2.04

$1.84 BGN 3.21

-36.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 BGN 1.47

$1.23 BGN 2.13

-31.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.25

$2.16 BGN 3.76

-13.43%

Eggs

$3.27 BGN 5.69

$3.67 BGN 6.39

-10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 BGN 17.26

$11.74 BGN 20.43

-15.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 BGN 14.45

$8.38 BGN 14.59

-0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 BGN 10.20

$13.89 BGN 24.16

-57.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 BGN 2.19

$1.64 BGN 2.85

-23.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.41

$1.78 BGN 3.10

10.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.70

$2.01 BGN 3.50

5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 BGN 3.68

$2.53 BGN 4.41

-16.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 BGN 0.84

$1.04 BGN 1.81

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.56

$1.09 BGN 1.89

-17.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 BGN 1.71

$1.16 BGN 2.02

-14.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.34

$0.72 BGN 1.26

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 BGN 5.64

$3.98 BGN 6.92

-18.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 BGN 11.64

$6.18 BGN 10.76

8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BGN 1.72

$1.18 BGN 2.05

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.29

$2.01 BGN 3.49

-5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 BGN 1.93

$0.56 BGN 0.97

98.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.67 BGN 41.18

$28.23 BGN 49.11

-16.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 BGN 2.03

$1.22 BGN 2.13

-4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.23

$0.61 BGN 1.07

16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.78 BGN 20.50

$10.15 BGN 17.65

16.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 BGN 2.43

$1.69 BGN 2.94

-17.16%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.2K

$30.7K BGN 53.4K

-2.22%

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

$22.3K BGN 38.8K

$24.5K BGN 42.6K

-8.84%

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

$104 BGN 180

$112 BGN 194

-7.06%

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

$14.45 BGN 25.13

$18.47 BGN 32.13

-21.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.91 BGN 20.72

$15.76 BGN 27.43

-24.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.57 BGN 51.5

$40.66 BGN 70.8

-27.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 BGN 30.18

$20.35 BGN 35.41

-14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 BGN 9.69

$9.16 BGN 15.94

-39.19%

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

$226 BGN 393

$507 BGN 883

-55.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,755 BGN 10.0K

$5,491 BGN 9,555

4.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.50 BGN 49.60

$68.8 BGN 120

-58.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.54 BGN 20.08

$42.55 BGN 74.0

-72.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 BGN 99.0

$94.9 BGN 165

-40.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.99 BGN 80.0

$105 BGN 183

-56.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 BGN 583

$537 BGN 935

-37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 BGN 332

$388 BGN 675

-50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 BGN 929

$866 BGN 1,506

-38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 BGN 701

$670 BGN 1,166

-39.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 BGN 2,297

$2,227 BGN 3,875

-40.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,083 BGN 1,885

$1,542 BGN 2,683

-29.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$448 BGN 779

$1,147 BGN 1,996

-60.98%

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 Karlovo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Karlovo

$205 26.2%

Plovdiv

$253 21.3% 23.4% $48

Accommodation & Living

Karlovo

$191 24.3%

Plovdiv

$388 32.6% 103% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karlovo

$130 16.6%

Plovdiv

$146 12.2% 12.1% $16

Eating Out

Karlovo

$121 15.4%

Plovdiv

$170 14.3% 40.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Karlovo

$64 8.2%

Plovdiv

$140 11.8% 118% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Karlovo

$41 5.2%

Plovdiv

$59 5% 44.9% $18

Getting Around

Karlovo

$33 4.2%

Plovdiv

$35 2.9% 5.9% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Karlovo versus $537 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 156% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $34.00 in Karlovo versus $45.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $253 – making Karlovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Karlovo

🇧🇬 Plovdiv

🕒 Local time

16:24 4:24 PM

Same time as Karlovo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

23,919

368,983

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Karlovo Plovdiv 55 km

From you

Karlovo
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

Karlovo vs Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plovdiv is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,177 per month in Karlovo and $1,786 in Plovdiv. 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 19% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Karlovo and $507 in Plovdiv. 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 $785, than in Plovdiv at $1,191. In Karlovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv 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, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.