Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philipsburg and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $3,149 in Philipsburg, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Philipsburg
Learn more

Philipsburg Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

Jump to prices

Philipsburg

🇸🇽 Sint Maarten

$3,149

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,149 per month in Philipsburg vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

Philipsburg $3,149
Bansko $970

A couple spends around $6,004 per month in Philipsburg vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

Philipsburg $6,004
Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $8,859 per month in Philipsburg vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

Philipsburg $8,859
Bansko $1,957

Philipsburg costs about 225% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Philipsburg sits 135% above the global median, while Bansko is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.49 ANG 27.73

$8.66 BGN 15.15

78.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 ANG 127

$46.63 BGN 81.6

51.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 ANG 14.39

$9.01 BGN 15.77

-10.77%

Cappuccino

$4.38 ANG 7.83

$2.24 BGN 3.92

95.54%

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

$2.90 ANG 5.19

$1.50 BGN 2.63

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 ANG 7.35

$0.86 BGN 1.51

377.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 ANG 5.31

$1.76 BGN 3.07

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 ANG 11.72

$2.00 BGN 3.51

227.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 ANG 5.48

$1.79 BGN 3.14

70.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 ANG 4.72

$0.81 BGN 1.42

225.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ANG 4.53

$1.52 BGN 2.66

66.45%

Eggs

$6.54 ANG 11.70

$2.30 BGN 4.02

184.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.69 ANG 33.46

$9.60 BGN 16.81

94.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 ANG 24.61

$6.32 BGN 11.06

117.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.89 ANG 26.66

$8.64 BGN 15.12

72.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 ANG 9.07

$1.28 BGN 2.24

296.09%

Banana (1kg)

$5.07 ANG 9.08

$1.68 BGN 2.95

201.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$9.20 ANG 16.46

$1.70 BGN 2.98

441.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.58 ANG 13.57

$1.89 BGN 3.30

301.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.06 ANG 7.27

$0.93 BGN 1.63

336.56%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 ANG 7.22

$0.76 BGN 1.32

431.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.88 ANG 8.74

$0.54 BGN 0.95

803.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ANG 2.40

$0.58 BGN 1.02

131.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 ANG 14.61

$3.44 BGN 6.02

137.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 ANG 19.37

$5.14 BGN 9.00

110.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.13 ANG 9.19

$1.11 BGN 1.94

362.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ANG 4.05

$0.88 BGN 1.55

156.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$1.47 ANG 2.63

$26.76 BGN 46.83

-94.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 ANG 26.92

$1.29 BGN 2.26

1065.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 BGN 17.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.63

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

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

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

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

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

$152 ANG 271

$91.4 BGN 160

65.69%

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

$32.40 ANG 58.0

$14.68 BGN 25.68

120.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 ANG 118

$12.07 BGN 21.12

445.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 ANG 112

$32.28 BGN 56.5

94.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 BGN 15.05

Cinema Ticket

$10.92 ANG 19.54

$5.63 BGN 9.86

93.96%

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

$248 ANG 443

$228 BGN 400

8.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ANG 21.4K

$2,311 BGN 4,045

418.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 BGN 53.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.01 BGN 33.26

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 BGN 79.7

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.67 BGN 85.2

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,145 ANG 3,840

$521 BGN 913

311.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 ANG 3,570

$367 BGN 643

442.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,614 ANG 11.8K

$634 BGN 1,110

942.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,466 ANG 11.6K

$558 BGN 976

1059.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,204 BGN 2,106

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 BGN 1,699

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,132 ANG 2,026

$1,670 BGN 2,923

-32.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

67.22%

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

Last update for Philipsburg: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Philipsburg

$2K 64.2%

Bansko

$367 38% 81.6% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Philipsburg

$496 * 16%

Bansko

$193 20% 61.1% $303

Eating Out

Philipsburg

$256 8.3%

Bansko

$145 15% 43.3% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philipsburg

$250 8%

Bansko

$118 12.2% 52.7% $132

Sport & Entertainment

Philipsburg

$85 2.7%

Bansko

$44 4.5% 48.5% $41

Getting Around

Philipsburg

$26 * 0.8%

Bansko

$35 3.6% 36.4% $9.3

Clothing & Footwear

Philipsburg

- * 0%

Bansko

$65 6.7%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,145 in Philipsburg versus $521 in Bansko. 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 48% higher in Bansko, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Philipsburg versus $47.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $496 vs $193 – making Bansko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇽 Philipsburg

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

08:01 8:01 AM

7 h ahead of Philipsburg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,900 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Netherlands Antillean Guilder ANG ƒ

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 ANG = 0.559 USD

1 ANG = 0.498 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to ANG – Netherlands Antillean Guilder Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ƒ)

Netherlands Antillean Guilder exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.79 ANG (1 ANG = 0.559 USD). 1 EUR = 2.01 ANG (1 ANG = 0.498 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to ANG in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Philipsburg Bansko 8,400 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Philipsburg
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

Philipsburg vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,149 in Philipsburg, $970 in Bansko – roughly 225% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,723 per month in Philipsburg and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bansko, 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 $71.0 in Philipsburg and $47.00 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 $3,149 in Philipsburg and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 225%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Philipsburg at $3,149. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Philipsburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Philipsburg has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $970 in Bansko to $3,149 in Philipsburg. 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 Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Philipsburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.