Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Plovdiv vs $846 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,814 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 26% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Stara Zagora 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$9.10 BGN 15.13

-4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 BGN 77.7

$35.43 BGN 58.9

31.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 BGN 14.02

$9.16 BGN 15.23

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$1.91 BGN 3.18

31.41%

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

$1.45 BGN 2.41

$1.28 BGN 2.13

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$0.73 BGN 1.22

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BGN 4.98

$1.20 BGN 2.00

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BGN 4.82

$2.04 BGN 3.40

42.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 BGN 3.01

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-4.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$0.82 BGN 1.37

25.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.55 BGN 2.58

37.42%

Eggs

$3.32 BGN 5.52

$2.27 BGN 3.78

46.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 BGN 19.75

$9.13 BGN 15.19

30.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 BGN 12.50

$7.36 BGN 12.25

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.07 BGN 20.08

$8.49 BGN 14.12

42.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$1.37 BGN 2.28

15.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$1.66 BGN 2.76

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-10.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 BGN 4.26

$2.16 BGN 3.60

18.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BGN 1.64

$1.01 BGN 1.69

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$0.81 BGN 1.35

38.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.56 BGN 0.93

94.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.26

$0.71 BGN 1.19

7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 BGN 5.76

$3.92 BGN 6.52

-11.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 BGN 9.93

$5.31 BGN 8.84

12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.23 BGN 2.05

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BGN 0.93

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 BGN 45.73

$19.02 BGN 31.65

44.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.34 BGN 2.23

-13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.08

$0.67 BGN 1.12

-2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.58 BGN 17.60

$11.59 BGN 19.27

-8.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.64

$1.49 BGN 2.47

6.71%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$24.8K BGN 41.3K

30.73%

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

$28.2K BGN 47.0K

$17.4K BGN 29.0K

61.93%

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

$97.8 BGN 163

$101 BGN 169

-3.62%

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

$17.71 BGN 29.45

$15.19 BGN 25.26

16.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.47 BGN 25.74

$11.35 BGN 18.88

36.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 BGN 61.7

$19.34 BGN 32.17

91.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 BGN 24.85

$17.37 BGN 28.90

-13.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 BGN 15.01

$7.88 BGN 13.11

14.47%

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

$429 BGN 713

$232 BGN 386

84.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,868 BGN 11.4K

$2,400 BGN 3,993

186.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 BGN 101

$38.78 BGN 64.5

56.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 BGN 58.4

$19.03 BGN 31.65

84.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 BGN 163

$77.9 BGN 130

25.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 178

$75.2 BGN 125

41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BGN 778

$248 BGN 413

88.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 BGN 572

$226 BGN 376

52.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 BGN 1,349

$399 BGN 664

103.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,035

$356 BGN 592

74.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 BGN 3,774

$1,497 BGN 2,490

51.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 BGN 2,530

$1,082 BGN 1,800

40.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 BGN 1,887

$1,044 BGN 1,737

8.66%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Plovdiv versus $248 in Stara Zagora. 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $35.00 in Stara Zagora. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $204 – making Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,068 in Plovdiv, $846 in Stara Zagora – roughly 26% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,602 per month in Plovdiv and $1,269 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Stara Zagora. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $429 per month in Plovdiv and $232 in Stara Zagora. 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 Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Plovdiv at $1,068. In Stara Zagora 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 $846 in Stara Zagora to $1,068 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 Stara Zagora. 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.