Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $956 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maharagama and in Bansko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Maharagama and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $133 per month in Maharagama vs $956 in Bansko, rent included.

Maharagama $133
Bansko $956

A couple spends around $250 per month in Maharagama vs $1,467 in Bansko, rent included.

Maharagama $250
Bansko $1,467

A family of three spends $367 per month in Maharagama vs $1,979 in Bansko, rent included.

Maharagama $367
Bansko $1,979

Maharagama is about 86% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Maharagama and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Maharagama 90% lower, Bansko 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 LKR 1,785

$8.66 BGN 15.06

-37.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.20 LKR 6,690

$44.94 BGN 78.2

-55.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 LKR 2,260

$8.78 BGN 15.28

-22.32%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 701

$2.33 BGN 4.05

-9.01%

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

$0.59 LKR 196

$1.57 BGN 2.74

-62.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 94.8

$0.82 BGN 1.43

-64.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 BGN 2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 LKR 307

$1.73 BGN 3.00

-46.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 LKR 83.2

$0.80 BGN 1.40

-68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.49 LKR 162

$1.44 BGN 2.51

-65.97%

Eggs

$1.49 LKR 494

$2.36 BGN 4.10

-36.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 BGN 16.34

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 BGN 11.15

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 BGN 14.76

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 BGN 2.28

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 BGN 2.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 BGN 3.01

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 BGN 1.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 BGN 0.95

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 BGN 1.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 BGN 5.66

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 BGN 9.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BGN 2.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BGN 1.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 BGN 47.09

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$1.34 BGN 2.34

-67.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 LKR 155

$0.65 BGN 1.14

-27.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 BGN 17.51

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BGN 2.57

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

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

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

$20.9K BGN 36.4K

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

$92.4 BGN 161

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

$4.63 LKR 1,534

$14.52 BGN 25.26

-68.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 LKR 4,510

$12.32 BGN 21.43

10.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.70 BGN 55.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 BGN 14.84

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 BGN 9.78

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

$230 BGN 401

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,268 BGN 3,947

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.10 BGN 52.4

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 BGN 34.13

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.86 BGN 79.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.69 BGN 83.0

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 BGN 902

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 BGN 621

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 65.3K

$614 BGN 1,069

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 BGN 990

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,191 BGN 2,073

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$959 BGN 1,669

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 80.7K

$1,704 BGN 2,965

-85.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$357 37.3%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$192 20.1%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$145 15.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$119 12.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$64 6.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$43 4.5%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Bansko

$35 3.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 599% higher in Bansko, 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 $20.00 in Maharagama versus $45.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $20.00 vs $192 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

11:27 11:27 AM

08:57 8:57 AM

2 h 30 min behind Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

8,000

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Maharagama Bansko 6,760 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
Bansko

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

Maharagama vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $133 in Maharagama, $956 in Bansko – roughly 617% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $200 per month in Maharagama and $1,434 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Maharagama and $45.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $133 in Maharagama and $956 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 617%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Bansko at $956. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Maharagama has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $133 in Maharagama to $956 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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