Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Shumen Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Shumen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,084 per month in Plovdiv vs $889 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,710 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,376 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,862 in Shumen, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 22% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 19% lower, Shumen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 BGN 15.07

$9.49 BGN 15.80

-4.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.11 BGN 80.0

$29.38 BGN 48.87

63.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 BGN 13.90

$8.66 BGN 14.41

-3.58%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.70 BGN 2.83

44.12%

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

$1.48 BGN 2.47

$1.37 BGN 2.28

8.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.71 BGN 1.19

19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.96

$2.01 BGN 3.34

48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 BGN 4.95

$2.33 BGN 3.87

27.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.90

$1.64 BGN 2.73

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.68

$0.95 BGN 1.59

6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 BGN 3.56

$1.91 BGN 3.18

12.04%

Eggs

$3.48 BGN 5.79

$3.08 BGN 5.12

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 BGN 19.31

$9.41 BGN 15.66

23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 BGN 12.59

$5.63 BGN 9.37

34.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 BGN 19.88

$11.73 BGN 19.51

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BGN 2.59

$1.76 BGN 2.93

-11.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-17.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 BGN 2.77

$2.06 BGN 3.42

-18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 BGN 4.09

$2.25 BGN 3.74

9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BGN 1.64

$1.45 BGN 2.42

-32.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-17.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.93 BGN 1.54

18.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.36

$0.79 BGN 1.31

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 BGN 5.94

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 BGN 10.80

$7.22 BGN 12.00

-10.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$0.93 BGN 1.55

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.88

$1.61 BGN 2.68

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-29.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.41 BGN 47.26

$26.71 BGN 44.44

6.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.25 BGN 2.08

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.02

$0.31 BGN 0.51

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 BGN 17.49

$13.36 BGN 22.22

-21.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.49 BGN 2.47

1.34%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

$32.0K BGN 53.2K

-0.03%

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

$28.8K BGN 48.0K

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

14.51%

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

$94.5 BGN 157

$96.4 BGN 160

-1.94%

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

$18.15 BGN 30.19

$16.33 BGN 27.16

11.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.95 BGN 24.88

$13.90 BGN 23.13

7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.16 BGN 61.8

$39.73 BGN 66.1

-6.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 BGN 24.58

$11.67 BGN 19.41

26.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$6.94 BGN 11.54

31.12%

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

$427 BGN 710

$237 BGN 394

79.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,070 BGN 11.8K

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

-33.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 BGN 102

$54.5 BGN 90.6

12.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.91 BGN 58.1

$41.57 BGN 69.2

-16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 BGN 163

$83.1 BGN 138

17.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 178

$72.2 BGN 120

48.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 BGN 789

$272 BGN 452

74.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 BGN 568

$189 BGN 314

80.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 BGN 1,385

$508 BGN 844

64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 BGN 997

$326 BGN 542

83.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,292 BGN 3,812

$1,289 BGN 2,144

77.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,558 BGN 2,591

$1,017 BGN 1,691

53.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 BGN 1,914

$1,034 BGN 1,719

11.34%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shumen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Plovdiv versus $272 in Shumen. 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 11% 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 $48.00 in Plovdiv versus $29.00 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $221 – making Shumen 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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,084 in Plovdiv, $889 in Shumen – roughly 22% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,626 per month in Plovdiv and $1,334 in Shumen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Plovdiv and $237 in Shumen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Plovdiv at $1,084. In Shumen 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 $889 in Shumen to $1,084 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 Shumen. 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.