Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Haskovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Haskovo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $851 in Haskovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,384 in Haskovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,916 in Haskovo.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 42% more expensive than in Haskovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Haskovo 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.76

$9.96 BGN 16.57

-49.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$41.84 BGN 69.6

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.37

$8.67 BGN 14.42

-36.10%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.83

$2.11 BGN 3.51

67.30%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-52.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.67 BGN 1.11

-50.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$1.31 BGN 2.17

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.64

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-4.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.72 BGN 2.86

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$0.76 BGN 1.27

135.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$1.65 BGN 2.75

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.25

$3.39 BGN 5.64

-50.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$9.57 BGN 15.92

59.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.84

$7.44 BGN 12.38

-58.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$8.70 BGN 14.47

27.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.86

$1.63 BGN 2.72

44.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$2.00 BGN 3.32

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.99

$1.46 BGN 2.43

21.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.83 BGN 3.04

-20.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.80 BGN 1.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.90 BGN 1.49

-28.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.66 BGN 1.10

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.21

$3.51 BGN 5.83

-18.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$7.20 BGN 11.98

62.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$1.68 BGN 2.79

-3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.90 BGN 1.50

-54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$23.77 BGN 39.55

44.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.76

$1.15 BGN 1.91

90.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.66 BGN 1.10

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$13.02 BGN 21.66

-37.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$1.47 BGN 2.45

-25.85%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

-31.74%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$24.1K BGN 40.1K

-26.22%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$93.2 BGN 155

-43.71%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$13.32 BGN 22.16

-36.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$10.02 BGN 16.66

35.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$56.1 BGN 93.3

-17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$28.98 BGN 48.21

-31.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$8.45 BGN 14.05

-2.37%

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

$1,280 ¥8,643

$237 BGN 395

439.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.2K

$2,407 BGN 4,004

1193.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$47.97 BGN 79.8

23.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$42.22 BGN 70.2

-10.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$80.3 BGN 134

-3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥654

$71.2 BGN 118

36.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,386

$232 BGN 387

306.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,744

$166 BGN 277

233.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$386 BGN 641

537.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,104

$305 BGN 507

293.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

$1,232 BGN 2,050

1045.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

$1,007 BGN 1,676

559.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$1,112 BGN 1,849

56.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.57

-21.66%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $232 in Haskovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 57% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $42.00 in Haskovo. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $211, with Haskovo cheaper for home cooking.

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

Shanghai vs Haskovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haskovo wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haskovo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $946 in Shanghai versus $232 in Haskovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Haskovo – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $851 in Haskovo versus $1,212 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Haskovo but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Haskovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Haskovo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haskovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.