Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $29,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bansko
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Bansko Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$970

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Selfoss and in Bansko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Selfoss and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Selfoss vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.

Selfoss $3,460
Bansko $970

A couple spends around $2,461 per month in Selfoss vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.

Selfoss $2,461
Bansko $1,464

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Selfoss vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.

Selfoss $1,462
Bansko $1,957

Selfoss costs about 257% more than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Selfoss sits 158% above the global median, while Bansko is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.66 BGN 15.15

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 BGN 81.6

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$9.01 BGN 15.77

130.97%

Cappuccino

$2.24 BGN 3.92

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

$1.50 BGN 2.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$1.76 BGN 3.07

593.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 BGN 3.51

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.79 BGN 3.14

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$0.81 BGN 1.42

839.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$1.52 BGN 2.66

193.42%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$2.30 BGN 4.02

185.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$9.60 BGN 16.81

79.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$6.32 BGN 11.06

244.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$8.64 BGN 15.12

287.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$1.28 BGN 2.24

112.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$1.68 BGN 2.95

63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$1.70 BGN 2.98

55.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$1.89 BGN 3.30

297.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$0.93 BGN 1.63

245.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$0.76 BGN 1.32

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$0.54 BGN 0.95

566.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$0.58 BGN 1.02

148.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$3.44 BGN 6.02

364.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 BGN 9.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$1.70 BGN 2.97

-31.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 BGN 1.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.76 BGN 46.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 BGN 2.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 BGN 17.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.63

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

$28.8K BGN 50.4K

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

$21.5K BGN 37.5K

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

$91.4 BGN 160

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

$14.68 BGN 25.68

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.07 BGN 21.12

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 BGN 56.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 BGN 15.05

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 BGN 9.86

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

$228 BGN 400

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,311 BGN 4,045

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.48 BGN 53.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.01 BGN 33.26

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.53 BGN 79.7

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.67 BGN 85.2

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 BGN 913

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$367 BGN 643

667.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 BGN 1,110

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 BGN 976

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,204 BGN 2,106

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$971 BGN 1,699

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,670 BGN 2,923

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$367 38%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$193 20%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$145 15%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$118 12.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$65 6.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$44 4.5%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Bansko

$35 3.6%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

07:50 7:50 AM

3 h ahead of Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

8,000

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Selfoss Bansko 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
Bansko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Selfoss vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,460 in Selfoss, $970 in Bansko – roughly 257% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,190 per month in Selfoss and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Selfoss and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 257%.

Groceries cost about 172% more in Selfoss, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bansko, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Bansko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $970 in Bansko to $3,460 in Selfoss. 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 Bansko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.