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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,102 per month in Plovdiv vs $791 in Karlovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,712 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,255 in Karlovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,321 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,718 in Karlovo, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 39% more than Karlovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Karlovo are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 18% lower, Karlovo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 BGN 14.47

$7.49 BGN 12.46

16.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BGN 78.7

$35.49 BGN 59.0

33.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 BGN 14.46

$8.94 BGN 14.87

-2.80%

Cappuccino

$2.49 BGN 4.15

$1.50 BGN 2.49

66.00%

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

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.08 BGN 1.80

37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$0.70 BGN 1.16

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BGN 4.97

$2.09 BGN 3.48

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$1.80 BGN 2.99

62.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 BGN 3.02

$1.15 BGN 1.91

57.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$0.86 BGN 1.43

24.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 BGN 3.51

$1.91 BGN 3.18

10.47%

Eggs

$3.40 BGN 5.66

$3.36 BGN 5.59

1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 BGN 19.31

$9.28 BGN 15.43

25.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 BGN 13.22

$7.76 BGN 12.92

2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 BGN 19.99

$5.94 BGN 9.88

102.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$1.28 BGN 2.14

17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$2.14 BGN 3.56

-17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.76

$2.08 BGN 3.46

-20.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 BGN 4.12

$2.21 BGN 3.68

12.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.70

$0.45 BGN 0.75

126.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.87 BGN 1.44

31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.06 BGN 1.76

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.28

$0.78 BGN 1.30

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 BGN 6.01

$3.41 BGN 5.67

5.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 BGN 10.11

$6.65 BGN 11.07

-8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$1.01 BGN 1.67

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$1.81 BGN 3.01

-0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.44 BGN 47.32

$27.08 BGN 45.04

5.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.09

$0.70 BGN 1.17

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 BGN 17.44

$13.19 BGN 21.94

-20.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.45 BGN 2.41

3.45%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

$32.0K BGN 53.2K

-0.23%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.8K

$25.2K BGN 41.8K

14.30%

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

$97.8 BGN 163

$95.7 BGN 159

2.17%

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

$18.10 BGN 30.11

$16.31 BGN 27.13

10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 BGN 25.47

$12.75 BGN 21.20

20.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.70 BGN 62.7

$29.31 BGN 48.75

28.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.69 BGN 24.44

$14.82 BGN 24.66

-0.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$5.74 BGN 9.54

56.10%

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

$425 BGN 706

$234 BGN 389

81.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,126 BGN 11.9K

$4,076 BGN 6,781

74.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 BGN 102

$29.19 BGN 48.57

110.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 BGN 58.8

$12.03 BGN 20.01

193.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 BGN 163

$59.6 BGN 99.1

64.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$47.03 BGN 78.2

125.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BGN 802

$289 BGN 481

66.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 BGN 558

$197 BGN 328

70.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 BGN 1,357

$473 BGN 787

72.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 BGN 1,013

$355 BGN 590

71.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,299 BGN 3,824

$1,367 BGN 2,275

68.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 BGN 2,589

$1,110 BGN 1,847

40.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 BGN 1,929

$485 BGN 807

139.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

4.57

-1.75%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karlovo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Plovdiv versus $289 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 139% 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $35.00 in Karlovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 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 39%, 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 $1,654 per month in Plovdiv and $1,187 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 5% less in Karlovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Plovdiv and $234 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 $791, than in Plovdiv at $1,102. 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.