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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $813 in Karlovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $1,321 in Karlovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,830 in Karlovo, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 179% more than Karlovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Karlovo is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.19

$7.45 BGN 12.40

135.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.8

$35.69 BGN 59.4

80.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.08

$9.08 BGN 15.11

28.30%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.82

$1.53 BGN 2.55

113.07%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$1.12 BGN 1.86

122.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.45

$0.73 BGN 1.22

128.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €3.01

$2.05 BGN 3.41

69.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.10

$1.76 BGN 2.93

103.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.21 BGN 2.01

-2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.69

$0.86 BGN 1.43

126.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-20.00%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.47

$3.41 BGN 5.67

17.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.49

$9.49 BGN 15.79

39.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.29

$8.38 BGN 13.94

0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.78

$5.78 BGN 9.61

215.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.01

$1.29 BGN 2.15

79.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.28 BGN 3.79

15.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.50 BGN 0.83

280.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$0.90 BGN 1.50

134.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.25

$0.99 BGN 1.64

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.76 BGN 1.26

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.07

$3.53 BGN 5.87

98.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.13

$7.20 BGN 11.99

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.01 BGN 1.68

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.86

$1.94 BGN 3.22

10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.06

$1.16 BGN 1.92

105.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €40.02

$24.86 BGN 41.36

85.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.63

$1.16 BGN 1.93

261.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$0.75 BGN 1.24

46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.94

$12.63 BGN 21.01

36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.95

$1.51 BGN 2.52

49.01%

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

$34.5K €29.8K

$31.5K BGN 52.4K

9.53%

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

$41.6K €36.0K

$23.5K BGN 39.0K

77.41%

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

$171 €148

$112 BGN 186

52.56%

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

$19.01 €16.45

$15.03 BGN 25.00

26.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.68

$12.36 BGN 20.56

177.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.98

$31.68 BGN 52.7

56.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.89

$17.77 BGN 29.56

9.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.74

$5.92 BGN 9.85

70.61%

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

$699 €605

$241 BGN 401

190.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.4K

$6,019 BGN 10.0K

195.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.6

$29.79 BGN 49.56

251.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.53

$12.02 BGN 19.99

299.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.2

$58.2 BGN 96.9

74.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$47.96 BGN 79.8

167.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,438

$344 BGN 572

383.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,063

$198 BGN 329

520.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,524

$559 BGN 930

421.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,752

$409 BGN 680

394.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,037

$1,390 BGN 2,312

484.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €4,013

$1,110 BGN 1,847

317.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,402

$476 BGN 792

240.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

3.25

16.31%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Karlovo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $344 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 240% 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $36.00 in Karlovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $207 – 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 179%, 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 $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $1,219 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 86% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $241 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 $813, than in Lisbon at $2,268. 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.