Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Karlovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Karlovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Plovdiv vs $789 in Karlovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,872 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,273 in Karlovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,555 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,757 in Karlovo, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 51% more than Karlovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Karlovo are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 12% lower, Karlovo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 BGN 16.37

$7.11 BGN 12.36

32.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.33 BGN 80.6

$34.22 BGN 59.5

35.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 BGN 16.66

$8.56 BGN 14.90

11.80%

Cappuccino

$2.79 BGN 4.86

$1.48 BGN 2.58

88.51%

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

$1.64 BGN 2.85

$1.05 BGN 1.83

56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 BGN 2.68

$0.75 BGN 1.30

105.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 BGN 4.51

$2.07 BGN 3.60

25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 BGN 6.96

$1.72 BGN 2.99

132.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 BGN 3.17

$1.13 BGN 1.96

61.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 BGN 2.14

$0.84 BGN 1.46

46.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 BGN 3.82

$1.80 BGN 3.14

21.67%

Eggs

$3.78 BGN 6.57

$3.28 BGN 5.71

15.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.82 BGN 20.57

$9.24 BGN 16.07

27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 BGN 14.61

$7.98 BGN 13.88

5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 BGN 24.58

$5.91 BGN 10.29

139.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 BGN 2.99

$1.31 BGN 2.27

31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

$2.03 BGN 3.54

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.36

$2.02 BGN 3.52

-4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.47

$2.24 BGN 3.89

14.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.84

$0.45 BGN 0.78

135.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.85

$0.91 BGN 1.58

16.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 BGN 2.15

$0.99 BGN 1.73

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.34

$0.79 BGN 1.37

-2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 BGN 7.21

$3.33 BGN 5.79

24.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 BGN 10.98

$7.16 BGN 12.45

-11.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.02

$1.03 BGN 1.79

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BGN 3.58

$1.88 BGN 3.26

9.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BGN 0.97

$1.13 BGN 1.97

-50.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 BGN 51.1

$24.13 BGN 41.98

21.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 BGN 2.19

$1.19 BGN 2.07

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.17

$0.77 BGN 1.35

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 BGN 18.23

$12.24 BGN 21.30

-14.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$1.49 BGN 2.59

12.08%

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

$30.4K BGN 52.9K

$30.8K BGN 53.6K

-1.30%

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

$24.7K BGN 43.0K

$22.5K BGN 39.1K

9.92%

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

$112 BGN 196

$109 BGN 190

2.82%

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

$18.73 BGN 32.59

$14.51 BGN 25.25

29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.87 BGN 27.61

$11.92 BGN 20.74

33.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.60 BGN 70.6

$30.64 BGN 53.3

32.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 BGN 36.29

$16.09 BGN 28.00

29.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.46 BGN 16.46

$5.97 BGN 10.39

58.46%

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

$521 BGN 906

$235 BGN 409

121.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,447 BGN 9,477

$6,008 BGN 10.5K

-9.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 BGN 121

$28.77 BGN 50.1

141.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 BGN 72.7

$11.60 BGN 20.18

260.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 BGN 173

$57.6 BGN 100

72.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$46.39 BGN 80.7

131.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 BGN 945

$344 BGN 599

57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 BGN 688

$190 BGN 331

108.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 BGN 1,574

$563 BGN 979

60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 BGN 1,179

$415 BGN 722

63.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,252 BGN 3,918

$1,364 BGN 2,373

65.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,595 BGN 2,775

$1,192 BGN 2,074

33.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,174 BGN 2,043

$467 BGN 812

151.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

3.25

-4.62%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: September 27, 2026

Last update for Karlovo: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $543 in Plovdiv 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 151% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $46.00 in Plovdiv versus $34.00 in Karlovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $203 – 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

Plovdiv vs Karlovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Plovdiv is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,782 per month in Plovdiv and $1,184 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 22% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $521 per month in Plovdiv and $235 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 $789, than in Plovdiv at $1,188. In Karlovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv 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, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.