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 $1,084 per month in Plovdiv vs $969 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,710 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,524 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Plovdiv vs $2,080 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 12% more than Veliko Tarnovo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 19% lower, Veliko Tarnovo 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 BGN 15.07

$10.46 BGN 17.41

-13.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.11 BGN 80.0

$41.25 BGN 68.6

16.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 BGN 13.90

$8.79 BGN 14.62

-5.01%

Cappuccino

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.97 BGN 3.28

24.37%

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

$1.48 BGN 2.47

$1.35 BGN 2.25

9.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.71 BGN 1.18

19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BGN 4.96

$1.96 BGN 3.27

52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 BGN 4.95

$2.99 BGN 4.97

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.90

$1.64 BGN 2.72

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.68

$0.89 BGN 1.47

13.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 BGN 3.56

$1.90 BGN 3.17

12.63%

Eggs

$3.48 BGN 5.79

$3.37 BGN 5.61

3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 BGN 19.31

$9.62 BGN 16.01

20.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 BGN 12.59

$7.81 BGN 13.00

-3.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.95 BGN 19.88

$11.65 BGN 19.38

2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BGN 2.59

$1.58 BGN 2.63

-1.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.04 BGN 3.39

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 BGN 2.77

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-18.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 BGN 4.09

$2.49 BGN 4.14

-1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 BGN 1.64

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-18.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.84

$1.32 BGN 2.20

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.04 BGN 1.73

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BGN 1.36

$0.78 BGN 1.29

5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 BGN 5.94

$3.67 BGN 6.10

-2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 BGN 10.80

$6.77 BGN 11.26

-4.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$1.03 BGN 1.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.88

$1.69 BGN 2.81

2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.41 BGN 47.26

$34.28 BGN 57.0

-17.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.15 BGN 1.92

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.02

$0.67 BGN 1.11

-7.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 BGN 17.49

$11.73 BGN 19.52

-10.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.54 BGN 2.56

-1.95%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

$32.0K BGN 53.3K

-0.27%

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

$28.8K BGN 48.0K

$25.8K BGN 43.0K

11.68%

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

$94.5 BGN 157

$92.9 BGN 155

1.68%

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

$18.15 BGN 30.19

$16.88 BGN 28.08

7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.95 BGN 24.88

$13.49 BGN 22.44

10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.16 BGN 61.8

$35.19 BGN 58.6

5.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 BGN 24.58

$22.55 BGN 37.52

-34.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$6.97 BGN 11.60

30.56%

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

$427 BGN 710

$236 BGN 392

80.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,070 BGN 11.8K

$4,150 BGN 6,904

70.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 BGN 102

$44.29 BGN 73.7

38.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.91 BGN 58.1

$29.34 BGN 48.80

18.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 BGN 163

$82.1 BGN 137

19.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 178

$71.2 BGN 118

50.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 BGN 789

$368 BGN 611

29.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 BGN 568

$256 BGN 426

33.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 BGN 1,385

$587 BGN 977

41.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 BGN 997

$425 BGN 706

41.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,292 BGN 3,812

$2,471 BGN 4,110

-7.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,558 BGN 2,591

$1,391 BGN 2,314

12.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 BGN 1,914

$909 BGN 1,512

26.65%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Plovdiv versus $368 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 27% 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 $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 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: $1,084 in Plovdiv, $969 in Veliko Tarnovo – roughly 12% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,626 per month in Plovdiv and $1,453 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 21% 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 $1,084. 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 $1,084 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.