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 $1,079 per month in Plovdiv vs $945 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,702 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,499 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,325 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,053 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 14% 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 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.83 BGN 14.69

$10.19 BGN 16.95

-13.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.68 BGN 79.3

$41.79 BGN 69.5

14.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 BGN 14.54

$8.84 BGN 14.70

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.94 BGN 3.22

26.29%

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

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$1.38 BGN 2.29

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.70 BGN 1.17

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 BGN 5.02

$1.89 BGN 3.14

59.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 BGN 4.86

$3.02 BGN 5.02

-3.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.69 BGN 2.82

6.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.69

$0.89 BGN 1.49

13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.50

$1.97 BGN 3.28

6.60%

Eggs

$3.41 BGN 5.67

$3.43 BGN 5.71

-0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.58 BGN 19.27

$9.32 BGN 15.51

24.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 BGN 12.82

$8.09 BGN 13.46

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 BGN 20.28

$11.72 BGN 19.49

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$1.65 BGN 2.75

-4.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$2.06 BGN 3.42

-21.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 BGN 4.05

$2.44 BGN 4.05

-0.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$1.16 BGN 1.92

-15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$1.36 BGN 2.25

-15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.06 BGN 1.76

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.36

$0.78 BGN 1.29

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 BGN 5.78

$3.64 BGN 6.06

-4.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 BGN 9.89

$6.59 BGN 10.97

-9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.79

$0.95 BGN 1.58

12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$1.62 BGN 2.69

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.87 BGN 1.44

-31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.43 BGN 47.30

$33.28 BGN 55.4

-14.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.19 BGN 1.98

1.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 BGN 1.07

$0.62 BGN 1.04

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.74 BGN 17.87

$11.73 BGN 19.51

-8.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.65

$1.49 BGN 2.48

6.71%

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

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-0.48%

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

$28.5K BGN 47.5K

$26.0K BGN 43.3K

9.75%

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

$94.3 BGN 157

$93.4 BGN 155

1.02%

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

$18.13 BGN 30.17

$16.43 BGN 27.33

10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.02 BGN 24.99

$13.12 BGN 21.83

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.21 BGN 61.9

$34.72 BGN 57.8

7.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 BGN 24.78

$21.98 BGN 36.56

-32.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 BGN 14.79

$7.26 BGN 12.08

22.45%

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

$416 BGN 692

$238 BGN 396

74.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,099 BGN 11.8K

$4,074 BGN 6,778

74.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 BGN 100

$44.00 BGN 73.2

37.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.87 BGN 59.7

$29.06 BGN 48.34

23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 BGN 167

$83.0 BGN 138

21.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 177

$72.4 BGN 120

47.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 BGN 784

$362 BGN 603

30.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 BGN 557

$255 BGN 425

31.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 BGN 1,390

$574 BGN 955

45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 BGN 1,018

$429 BGN 714

42.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,324 BGN 3,866

$2,505 BGN 4,168

-7.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 BGN 2,593

$1,412 BGN 2,348

10.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 BGN 1,930

$945 BGN 1,572

22.76%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $471 in Plovdiv versus $362 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 23% 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 $42.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $233 – 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: $1,079 in Plovdiv, $945 in Veliko Tarnovo – roughly 14% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,619 per month in Plovdiv and $1,418 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 17% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $416 per month in Plovdiv and $238 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 $945, than in Plovdiv at $1,079. 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 $945 in Veliko Tarnovo to $1,079 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.