Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Blagoevgrad Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Blagoevgrad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $787 in Blagoevgrad, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,249 in Blagoevgrad, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,711 in Blagoevgrad, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 183% more than Blagoevgrad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Blagoevgrad is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$10.51 BGN 17.55

53.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$35.55 BGN 59.4

81.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$8.24 BGN 13.77

25.97%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.88 BGN 3.14

47.34%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.31 BGN 2.19

71.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.01 BGN 1.68

55.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$1.87 BGN 3.13

86.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.96 BGN 3.27

104.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.92 BGN 1.53

89.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.22 BGN 2.03

42.62%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$2.22 BGN 3.70

43.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$7.65 BGN 12.77

75.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$5.22 BGN 8.71

53.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$3.48 BGN 5.82

362.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.59 BGN 2.66

43.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.02 BGN 3.38

-14.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$1.17 BGN 1.95

65.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.73 BGN 4.55

-6.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.64 BGN 1.07

185.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.48 BGN 0.81

325.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$0.57 BGN 0.96

247.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.64 BGN 1.07

32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.26 BGN 5.44

110.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$7.21 BGN 12.05

-19.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.04 BGN 1.74

31.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.20 BGN 2.00

141.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$0.73 BGN 1.22

212.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$20.34 BGN 33.97

130.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.17 BGN 1.95

248.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.56 BGN 0.93

46.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$10.41 BGN 17.38

75.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.51 BGN 2.53

33.11%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$36.7K BGN 61.4K

-4.03%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$26.4K BGN 44.1K

45.66%

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

$145 €124

$121 BGN 202

20.40%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$14.07 BGN 23.49

48.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$8.70 BGN 14.52

360.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$22.42 BGN 37.43

117.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$8.68 BGN 14.50

115.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$4.66 BGN 7.78

94.42%

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

$607 €519

$321 BGN 536

88.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$5,396 BGN 9,011

202.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$23.48 BGN 39.22

345.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$14.90 BGN 24.89

174.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$78.1 BGN 130

19.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$87.7 BGN 147

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$302 BGN 504

431.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$169 BGN 282

632.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$466 BGN 779

553.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$313 BGN 523

556.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,707 BGN 2,851

351.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,163 BGN 1,942

266.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$1,056 BGN 1,764

50.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.9

-22.24%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Blagoevgrad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $302 in Blagoevgrad. 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 50% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Blagoevgrad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $171 – making Blagoevgrad 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

Lisbon vs Blagoevgrad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 183%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,180 in Blagoevgrad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon and $36.00 in Blagoevgrad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,227 in Lisbon and $787 in Blagoevgrad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Blagoevgrad, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Lisbon at $2,227. In Blagoevgrad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Blagoevgrad – 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 Blagoevgrad. 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.