Cost of Living Comparison Between Pleven and Szolnok Cost of Living Comparison Between Pleven and Szolnok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Pleven vs $1,154 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,456 per month in Pleven vs $1,773 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,980 per month in Pleven vs $2,393 in Szolnok, rent included.

Pleven is about 19% cheaper than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pleven and Szolnok are more affordable than the global median – Pleven 32% lower, Szolnok 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.75 BGN 14.55
$10.26 Ft 3,197
-14.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.20 BGN 51.9
$47.22 Ft 14.7K
-33.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.63 BGN 11.02
$8.42 Ft 2,624
-21.26%
Cappuccino
$2.28 BGN 3.80
$2.37 Ft 739
-3.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 BGN 2.21
$2.01 Ft 625
-33.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 1.96
$1.25 Ft 389
-5.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 BGN 3.78
$2.73 Ft 851
-16.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 BGN 3.84
$2.89 Ft 901
-20.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 BGN 2.84
$0.95 Ft 297
80.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 BGN 2.03
$1.28 Ft 399
-4.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 BGN 3.02
$1.69 Ft 526
7.10%
Eggs
$3.72 BGN 6.20
$3.20 Ft 996
16.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.68 BGN 16.10
$8.01 Ft 2,497
20.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.09 BGN 13.45
$6.81 Ft 2,122
18.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.51 BGN 24.14
$13.95 Ft 4,349
4.01%
Apples (1kg)
$1.28 BGN 2.13
$1.54 Ft 479
-16.88%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 BGN 3.54
$1.89 Ft 589
12.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 BGN 3.80
$1.52 Ft 474
50.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 BGN 3.85
$2.50 Ft 779
-7.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 BGN 2.04
$0.72 Ft 224
70.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 BGN 1.87
$0.74 Ft 232
52.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 BGN 1.78
$1.07 Ft 334
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 BGN 1.30
$0.39 Ft 121
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 BGN 5.96
$7.06 Ft 2,200
-49.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.72 BGN 11.19
$3.88 Ft 1,209
73.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 BGN 1.41
$0.94 Ft 294
-9.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 BGN 2.04
$1.30 Ft 404
-5.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 BGN 1.48
$1.10 Ft 343
-19.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.99 BGN 69.9
$27.47 Ft 8,563
52.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 BGN 2.50
$3.05 Ft 952
-50.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.93 BGN 1.54
$2.23 Ft 695
-58.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.28 BGN 20.43
$15.19 Ft 4,736
-19.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.61 BGN 2.68
$1.87 Ft 582
-13.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K BGN 51.6K
$28.1K Ft 8.7M
10.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K BGN 43.8K
$38.9K Ft 12.1M
-32.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 BGN 167
$132 Ft 41.2K
-23.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.44 BGN 27.35
$30.07 Ft 9,371
-45.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.07 BGN 18.42
$22.78 Ft 7,099
-51.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.26 BGN 55.3
$42.39 Ft 13.2K
-21.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.36 BGN 42.20
$19.34 Ft 6,027
31.13%
Cinema Ticket
$9.17 BGN 15.25
$3.36 Ft 1,046
172.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$535 BGN 890
$158 Ft 49.2K
238.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,621 BGN 11.0K
$5,038 Ft 1.6M
31.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.16 BGN 71.8
$84.4 Ft 26.3K
-48.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.45 BGN 49.00
$51.7 Ft 16.1K
-43.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.8 BGN 163
$93.9 Ft 29.2K
4.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 BGN 174
$121 Ft 37.8K
-13.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$351 BGN 584
$420 Ft 131.0K
-16.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$178 BGN 296
$340 Ft 105.9K
-47.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$584 BGN 972
$654 Ft 203.8K
-10.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$336 BGN 559
$522 Ft 162.6K
-35.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,478 BGN 2,458
$2,105 Ft 655.9K
-29.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,177 BGN 1,958
$1,690 Ft 526.8K
-30.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pleven
Szolnok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$954 BGN 1,587
$1,098 Ft 342.3K
-13.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.93
7.69
-61.90%

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

Last update for Pleven: August 30, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Pleven versus $420 in Szolnok. 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 15% higher in Szolnok, 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 $31.00 in Pleven versus $47.00 in Szolnok. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Pleven vs $207 in Szolnok – so Szolnok wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Pleven vs Szolnok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Pleven and in Szolnok compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $932 in Pleven, $1,154 in Szolnok – roughly 24% apart. Szolnok costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Pleven compared to Szolnok?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Pleven and $1,731 in Szolnok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Pleven and Szolnok?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pleven, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Szolnok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Pleven and $47.00 in Szolnok. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pleven, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Szolnok at $1,154. In Pleven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szolnok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Pleven or Szolnok?
Families tend to lean toward Pleven – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Pleven or Szolnok safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Pleven and Szolnok?
If budget matters most, go with Pleven. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szolnok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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