Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,074 per month in Plovdiv vs $969 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,715 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,522 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,356 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,076 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 11% more than Veliko Tarnovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Veliko Tarnovo 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 BGN 14.38

$10.20 BGN 17.04

-15.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.26 BGN 78.9

$40.71 BGN 68.0

16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 BGN 14.02

$8.68 BGN 14.50

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$2.39 BGN 3.99

$1.87 BGN 3.12

27.81%

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

$1.45 BGN 2.43

$1.38 BGN 2.30

5.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 BGN 1.46

$0.71 BGN 1.19

22.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.98

$1.89 BGN 3.15

57.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 BGN 4.91

$2.91 BGN 4.86

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.71 BGN 2.86

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$0.90 BGN 1.50

18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.69

$1.96 BGN 3.28

12.76%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.70

$3.31 BGN 5.52

3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.65 BGN 19.46

$9.50 BGN 15.87

22.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 BGN 12.61

$7.80 BGN 13.02

-3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 BGN 20.66

$11.65 BGN 19.45

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.51

$1.60 BGN 2.67

-6.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$2.15 BGN 3.59

-21.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 BGN 2.69

$1.97 BGN 3.29

-18.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.29

$2.47 BGN 4.12

4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.16 BGN 1.94

-11.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.37 BGN 2.29

-19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.76

$1.05 BGN 1.75

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.28

$0.74 BGN 1.23

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.07

$3.62 BGN 6.05

0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 BGN 11.86

$6.79 BGN 11.34

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$0.99 BGN 1.65

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.66 BGN 2.78

4.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 BGN 1.03

$0.90 BGN 1.51

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.20 BGN 47.10

$33.44 BGN 55.8

-15.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.19 BGN 1.99

1.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$0.67 BGN 1.12

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 BGN 17.49

$11.91 BGN 19.89

-12.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$1.54 BGN 2.57

1.95%

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

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

$31.6K BGN 52.8K

0.21%

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

$28.1K BGN 46.9K

$25.8K BGN 43.0K

9.13%

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

$94.6 BGN 158

$93.8 BGN 157

0.91%

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

$17.76 BGN 29.67

$16.72 BGN 27.92

6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.25 BGN 25.46

$13.48 BGN 22.51

13.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.68 BGN 62.9

$35.50 BGN 59.3

6.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.03 BGN 25.10

$22.38 BGN 37.37

-32.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 BGN 15.09

$7.00 BGN 11.68

29.14%

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

$427 BGN 713

$236 BGN 394

81.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,075 BGN 11.8K

$4,201 BGN 7,016

68.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 BGN 102

$44.48 BGN 74.3

37.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.05 BGN 60.2

$28.96 BGN 48.36

24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 BGN 170

$83.7 BGN 140

21.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 177

$72.4 BGN 121

46.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BGN 805

$359 BGN 599

34.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 BGN 572

$261 BGN 436

31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 BGN 1,371

$577 BGN 964

42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BGN 1,005

$434 BGN 725

38.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 BGN 4,009

$2,531 BGN 4,227

-5.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 BGN 2,605

$1,424 BGN 2,379

9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,142 BGN 1,908

$947 BGN 1,581

20.65%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Plovdiv versus $359 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 21% 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 $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $232 – making Veliko Tarnovo 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 Veliko Tarnovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,074 in Plovdiv, $969 in Veliko Tarnovo – roughly 11% 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 $1,454 in Veliko Tarnovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 19% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Plovdiv and $236 in Veliko Tarnovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Plovdiv at $1,074. In Veliko Tarnovo 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 $969 in Veliko Tarnovo 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 Veliko Tarnovo. 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.