Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Qingdao, Shandong and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $864 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,254 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,733 per month in Qingdao, Shandong vs $1,796 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Qingdao, Shandong is about 10% cheaper than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qingdao, Shandong and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Qingdao, Shandong 42% lower, Stara Zagora 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 ¥23.11

$8.82 BGN 14.68

-61.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 ¥121

$34.74 BGN 57.8

-48.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ¥30.38

$8.99 BGN 14.95

-50.06%

Cappuccino

$3.31 ¥22.40

$1.87 BGN 3.11

77.01%

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

$0.58 ¥3.94

$1.27 BGN 2.11

-54.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$0.73 BGN 1.22

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.53

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.48

$2.02 BGN 3.35

5.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.27

$1.86 BGN 3.09

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ¥10.09

$0.78 BGN 1.29

91.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.65

$1.54 BGN 2.56

-36.36%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.56

$2.25 BGN 3.74

-17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.99 ¥101

$9.15 BGN 15.21

63.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 ¥28.39

$7.52 BGN 12.51

-44.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 ¥70.4

$8.65 BGN 14.39

20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$1.37 BGN 2.27

0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.18

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.88 BGN 3.13

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$2.14 BGN 3.55

-53.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.08

$1.01 BGN 1.67

-25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.29

$0.85 BGN 1.42

27.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ¥6.35

$0.57 BGN 0.95

64.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥3.18

$0.75 BGN 1.24

-37.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 ¥26.57

$3.84 BGN 6.39

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 ¥99.6

$5.34 BGN 8.88

175.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.75

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-18.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.46

$2.17 BGN 3.62

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.92 BGN 1.54

-69.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.95 ¥115

$18.95 BGN 31.52

-10.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$1.38 BGN 2.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.30

$0.70 BGN 1.17

-51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 ¥50.7

$11.66 BGN 19.39

-35.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-27.27%

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

$20.1K ¥136.1K

$24.7K BGN 41.0K

-18.46%

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

$13.5K ¥91.6K

$17.9K BGN 29.8K

-24.58%

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

$52.3 ¥354

$104 BGN 173

-49.65%

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

$11.00 ¥74.4

$15.07 BGN 25.06

-27.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.45 ¥70.8

$11.04 BGN 18.36

-5.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.87 ¥182

$19.66 BGN 32.70

36.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.90 ¥141

$17.48 BGN 29.08

19.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.88 ¥46.59

$7.78 BGN 12.94

-11.57%

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

$338 ¥2,290

$232 BGN 386

45.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K ¥163.9K

$2,361 BGN 3,927

925.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 ¥513

$38.22 BGN 63.6

98.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.07 ¥258

$18.85 BGN 31.36

101.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 ¥548

$76.1 BGN 127

6.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ¥684

$75.7 BGN 126

33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥2,262

$244 BGN 406

36.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,311

$232 BGN 386

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$749 ¥5,073

$399 BGN 663

88.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥2,772

$368 BGN 612

11.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,578 ¥24.2K

$1,508 BGN 2,508

137.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,142 ¥14.5K

$1,120 BGN 1,863

91.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 ¥7,630

$1,062 BGN 1,767

6.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.4

12.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Qingdao, Shandong: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $244 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 6% higher in Qingdao, Shandong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong versus $35.00 in Stara Zagora. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Qingdao, Shandong vs $204 in Stara Zagora – so Stara Zagora wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Qingdao, Shandong vs Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stara Zagora is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,161 per month in Qingdao, Shandong and $1,296 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Stara Zagora – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Qingdao, Shandong and $35.00 in Stara Zagora. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $774 in Qingdao, Shandong and $864 in Stara Zagora, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Qingdao, Shandong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Qingdao, Shandong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Stara Zagora makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.