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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Plovdiv vs $943 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,882 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,474 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,551 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,005 in Shumen, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 29% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Plovdiv and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 11% lower, Shumen 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.17 BGN 15.25

$9.72 BGN 16.18

-5.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.82 BGN 77.9

$35.07 BGN 58.3

33.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 BGN 16.95

$9.12 BGN 15.17

11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$1.81 BGN 3.00

64.09%

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

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.47 BGN 2.44

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$1.05 BGN 1.74

49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 BGN 4.47

$2.91 BGN 4.83

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 BGN 6.78

$2.90 BGN 4.82

40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$1.91 BGN 3.17

-4.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BGN 2.07

$1.12 BGN 1.86

11.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BGN 3.89

$2.60 BGN 4.33

-10.00%

Eggs

$3.77 BGN 6.27

$2.98 BGN 4.96

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 BGN 20.22

$9.57 BGN 15.91

26.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 14.37

$5.06 BGN 8.42

70.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 BGN 24.48

$9.18 BGN 15.27

60.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$1.56 BGN 2.60

7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$2.12 BGN 3.53

-11.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.40

$2.19 BGN 3.64

-6.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$2.27 BGN 3.78

20.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$2.09 BGN 3.47

-48.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.32 BGN 2.20

-15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.83 BGN 1.38

44.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.78 BGN 1.31

-5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 BGN 6.76

$3.74 BGN 6.22

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 BGN 10.98

$7.18 BGN 11.95

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$0.99 BGN 1.65

19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 BGN 3.52

$1.46 BGN 2.44

45.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 BGN 49.90

$26.37 BGN 43.86

13.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$1.79 BGN 2.98

-28.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$0.52 BGN 0.86

19.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.79 BGN 17.95

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 BGN 2.71

$1.58 BGN 2.62

3.16%

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

$31.2K BGN 51.9K

$31.9K BGN 53.0K

-2.01%

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

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

$23.1K BGN 38.5K

8.88%

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

$117 BGN 194

$136 BGN 226

-13.98%

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

$19.07 BGN 31.73

$18.06 BGN 30.05

5.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.19 BGN 26.93

$17.42 BGN 28.98

-7.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 BGN 69.8

$40.40 BGN 67.2

3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 BGN 34.91

$11.74 BGN 19.53

78.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.23 BGN 15.35

$6.99 BGN 11.62

32.05%

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

$531 BGN 883

$588 BGN 979

-9.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,699 BGN 9,480

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

-45.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 BGN 118

$49.68 BGN 82.6

42.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 BGN 72.6

$51.8 BGN 86.2

-15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 BGN 166

$94.2 BGN 157

5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BGN 180

$63.7 BGN 106

69.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 BGN 911

$276 BGN 459

98.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 BGN 663

$186 BGN 310

114.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 BGN 1,501

$439 BGN 730

105.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 BGN 1,139

$341 BGN 567

100.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,348 BGN 3,907

$1,261 BGN 2,098

86.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,591 BGN 2,647

$1,030 BGN 1,714

54.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 BGN 2,001

$1,035 BGN 1,722

16.21%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Shumen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Plovdiv versus $276 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 16% 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 Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $219 – 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: $1,214 in Plovdiv, $943 in Shumen – roughly 29% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,821 per month in Plovdiv and $1,414 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 14% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $531 per month in Plovdiv and $588 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 $943, than in Plovdiv at $1,214. 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 $943 in Shumen to $1,214 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.