Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Pleven Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Pleven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Plovdiv vs $825 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,715 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,299 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,356 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,772 in Pleven, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 30% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Pleven 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BGN 14.38

$8.73 BGN 14.59

-1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.26 BGN 78.9

$31.18 BGN 52.1

51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 BGN 14.02

$6.53 BGN 10.91

28.48%

Cappuccino

$2.39 BGN 3.99

$1.86 BGN 3.11

28.49%

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

$1.45 BGN 2.43

$1.34 BGN 2.23

8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BGN 1.46

$0.69 BGN 1.15

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.98

$1.16 BGN 1.93

156.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 BGN 4.91

$2.12 BGN 3.54

38.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.52 BGN 2.53

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$0.77 BGN 1.29

38.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.69

$1.49 BGN 2.49

48.32%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.70

$2.19 BGN 3.67

55.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 BGN 19.46

$8.82 BGN 14.74

32.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 BGN 12.61

$7.59 BGN 12.67

-0.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 BGN 20.66

$8.80 BGN 14.70

40.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.51

$1.29 BGN 2.15

16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.72 BGN 2.88

-2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 BGN 2.69

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.29

$2.17 BGN 3.62

18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.00 BGN 1.67

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$0.81 BGN 1.35

35.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.76

$0.62 BGN 1.03

69.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.28

$0.70 BGN 1.17

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.07

$3.60 BGN 6.01

1.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 BGN 11.86

$6.66 BGN 11.12

6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$0.79 BGN 1.32

30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.23 BGN 2.06

40.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.20 BGN 47.10

$41.83 BGN 69.9

-32.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 BGN 17.49

$11.60 BGN 19.37

-9.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$1.54 BGN 2.56

1.95%

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

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

$25.2K BGN 42.2K

25.60%

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

$28.1K BGN 46.9K

$17.9K BGN 29.9K

57.03%

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

$94.6 BGN 158

$98.8 BGN 165

-4.23%

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

$17.76 BGN 29.67

$14.84 BGN 24.78

19.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.25 BGN 25.46

$11.04 BGN 18.43

38.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.68 BGN 62.9

$26.09 BGN 43.57

44.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.03 BGN 25.10

$15.06 BGN 25.15

-0.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 BGN 15.09

$8.04 BGN 13.43

12.44%

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

$427 BGN 713

$236 BGN 395

80.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,075 BGN 11.8K

$2,395 BGN 3,999

195.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 BGN 102

$37.81 BGN 63.2

61.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 BGN 60.2

$19.40 BGN 32.39

85.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BGN 170

$75.9 BGN 127

33.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 177

$74.9 BGN 125

41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BGN 805

$350 BGN 584

37.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 BGN 572

$179 BGN 299

91.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 BGN 1,371

$584 BGN 975

40.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BGN 1,005

$338 BGN 564

78.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 BGN 4,009

$1,477 BGN 2,466

62.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 BGN 2,605

$1,183 BGN 1,975

31.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,142 BGN 1,908

$970 BGN 1,621

17.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

3.4

32.06%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pleven: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Plovdiv versus $350 in Pleven. 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 18% 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 $31.00 in Pleven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $199 – making Pleven 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 Pleven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,074 in Plovdiv, $825 in Pleven – roughly 30% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,611 per month in Plovdiv and $1,238 in Pleven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Plovdiv, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Plovdiv and $31.00 in Pleven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pleven, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Plovdiv at $1,074. In Pleven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Plovdiv has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $825 in Pleven to $1,074 in Plovdiv. 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 Pleven. 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.