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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Plovdiv vs $872 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,742 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,388 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,409 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,903 in Shumen, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 23% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 19% lower, Shumen 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 BGN 14.91

$9.76 BGN 16.24

-8.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.57 BGN 79.1

$29.12 BGN 48.45

63.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 BGN 14.21

$9.09 BGN 15.13

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$2.43 BGN 4.04

$1.71 BGN 2.84

42.11%

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

$1.49 BGN 2.49

$1.33 BGN 2.22

12.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BGN 1.44

$0.71 BGN 1.18

22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 BGN 4.78

$2.08 BGN 3.46

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.27 BGN 3.78

26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.62 BGN 2.70

12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BGN 1.77

$0.94 BGN 1.57

12.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.55

$1.97 BGN 3.27

8.12%

Eggs

$3.33 BGN 5.54

$3.06 BGN 5.10

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.08

$9.16 BGN 15.24

25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 BGN 12.51

$5.67 BGN 9.43

32.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 BGN 20.07

$11.44 BGN 19.03

5.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.71 BGN 2.85

-11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-19.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 BGN 2.68

$2.09 BGN 3.47

-22.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$2.33 BGN 3.88

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.70

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-32.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.90

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.93 BGN 1.55

18.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.29

$0.80 BGN 1.33

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.06

$3.58 BGN 5.95

1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.81 BGN 9.67

$7.46 BGN 12.41

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.00 BGN 1.67

7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.60 BGN 2.66

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BGN 0.94

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-35.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.89 BGN 46.39

$26.10 BGN 43.42

6.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.25 BGN 2.08

-4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.31 BGN 0.51

112.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 BGN 17.47

$12.97 BGN 21.57

-19.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.49 BGN 2.48

2.01%

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

$32.3K BGN 53.7K

$32.6K BGN 54.3K

-1.07%

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

$28.3K BGN 47.0K

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

9.66%

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

$95.9 BGN 160

$94.7 BGN 158

1.21%

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

$17.98 BGN 29.91

$16.37 BGN 27.23

9.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 BGN 24.77

$13.71 BGN 22.80

8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.59 BGN 60.9

$39.89 BGN 66.4

-8.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 BGN 25.07

$11.60 BGN 19.30

29.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 BGN 15.42

$7.07 BGN 11.76

31.12%

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

$420 BGN 699

$236 BGN 393

78.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,882 BGN 11.4K

$10.5K BGN 17.5K

-34.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 BGN 101

$55.5 BGN 92.3

9.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.93 BGN 58.1

$41.49 BGN 69.0

-15.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 BGN 166

$80.7 BGN 134

23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 175

$70.5 BGN 117

48.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 BGN 779

$277 BGN 460

69.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 BGN 563

$194 BGN 322

74.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 BGN 1,384

$510 BGN 848

63.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 BGN 1,017

$329 BGN 547

86.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,290 BGN 3,809

$1,291 BGN 2,147

77.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 BGN 2,596

$1,045 BGN 1,738

49.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 BGN 1,910

$1,052 BGN 1,750

9.15%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Shumen: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Plovdiv versus $277 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 9% 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: $235 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: $1,074 in Plovdiv, $872 in Shumen – roughly 23% 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 $1,309 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 7% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $420 per month in Plovdiv and $236 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 $872, than in Plovdiv at $1,074. 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 $872 in Shumen 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 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.