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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Lisbon vs $779 in Karlovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Lisbon vs $1,241 in Karlovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lisbon vs $1,703 in Karlovo, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 186% more than Karlovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 66% above the global median, while Karlovo is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 €13.84

$7.43 BGN 12.41

117.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 €55.3

$36.05 BGN 60.2

79.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.88

$9.08 BGN 15.17

14.32%

Cappuccino

$2.77 €2.37

$1.50 BGN 2.51

84.67%

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

$2.25 €1.92

$1.12 BGN 1.87

100.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$0.71 BGN 1.18

121.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €2.99

$2.03 BGN 3.39

71.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.43

$1.78 BGN 2.98

124.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.19 BGN 1.99

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$0.89 BGN 1.49

95.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.93 BGN 3.22

-9.84%

Eggs

$3.18 €2.72

$3.37 BGN 5.63

-5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 €11.50

$9.53 BGN 15.91

40.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 €6.84

$8.17 BGN 13.64

-2.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 €13.77

$5.75 BGN 9.61

179.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.32 BGN 2.21

72.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.07 BGN 3.46

-16.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.66

$2.05 BGN 3.42

-5.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$2.18 BGN 3.65

16.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$0.49 BGN 0.82

273.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$0.86 BGN 1.43

137.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.02 BGN 1.70

94.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.75 BGN 1.26

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 €5.87

$3.51 BGN 5.86

95.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 €4.94

$5.83 BGN 9.73

-0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.02 BGN 1.70

34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.48

$1.79 BGN 2.99

62.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.95

$1.15 BGN 1.92

98.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.84 €40.10

$26.95 BGN 45.01

73.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 €3.49

$1.21 BGN 2.02

237.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$0.66 BGN 1.11

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.27 €15.64

$13.31 BGN 22.24

37.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.46 BGN 2.44

37.67%

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

$35.3K €30.2K

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

11.12%

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

$38.5K €32.9K

$25.8K BGN 43.1K

48.98%

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

$145 €124

$93.2 BGN 156

55.98%

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

$20.96 €17.94

$16.33 BGN 27.28

28.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.05 €34.29

$13.00 BGN 21.70

208.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 €41.76

$29.20 BGN 48.76

67.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 €16.00

$14.97 BGN 25.01

24.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 €7.76

$5.73 BGN 9.56

58.12%

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

$607 €519

$233 BGN 390

159.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K €14.0K

$4,072 BGN 6,801

301.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.6

$29.93 BGN 49.98

249.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 €35.06

$11.99 BGN 20.03

241.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 €80.1

$58.1 BGN 97.0

61.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €101

$47.80 BGN 79.8

148.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,373

$293 BGN 489

447.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,058

$198 BGN 330

525.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,046 €2,607

$478 BGN 798

537.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,057 €1,761

$355 BGN 593

479.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 €6,599

$1,528 BGN 2,552

404.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,266 €3,652

$1,054 BGN 1,761

304.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 €1,356

$487 BGN 813

225.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

4.57

-16.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Last update for Karlovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,604 in Lisbon versus $293 in Karlovo. 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 225% 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 Karlovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $204 – 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

Lisbon vs Karlovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 186%, 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 $3,341 per month in Lisbon and $1,169 in Karlovo. 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 74% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Lisbon and $233 in Karlovo. 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 $779, than in Lisbon at $2,227. 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.