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: $1,202 in Shanghai versus $873 in Haskovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Shanghai versus $1,401 in Haskovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,720 in Shanghai versus $1,928 in Haskovo.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 38% more expensive than Haskovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Haskovo 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 ¥32.24

$10.05 BGN 16.72

-52.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.51 ¥240

$41.43 BGN 68.9

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ¥36.97

$9.08 BGN 15.11

-39.76%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ¥23.44

$2.04 BGN 3.39

70.10%

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

$0.58 ¥3.91

$1.26 BGN 2.09

-53.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ¥2.47

$0.69 BGN 1.15

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ¥9.27

$1.31 BGN 2.18

4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.10

$3.02 BGN 5.03

-6.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.82

$1.65 BGN 2.74

32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥11.99

$0.76 BGN 1.27

134.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$1.64 BGN 2.73

-35.98%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.96

$3.38 BGN 5.62

-52.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 ¥104

$9.17 BGN 15.26

68.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥20.81

$7.56 BGN 12.57

-59.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.1

$8.32 BGN 13.84

30.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.86

$1.58 BGN 2.63

48.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.70

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-10.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.66

$1.53 BGN 2.54

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.92

$1.83 BGN 3.05

-19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.35

$0.86 BGN 1.42

-8.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.48

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-8.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.89 BGN 1.48

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.04

$3.55 BGN 5.90

-20.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 ¥80.6

$7.32 BGN 12.18

63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.30

$0.81 BGN 1.35

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.88

$1.73 BGN 2.88

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-53.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 ¥236

$23.40 BGN 38.93

49.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.21 BGN 2.02

80.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.54

$0.62 BGN 1.03

-38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 ¥57.0

$13.36 BGN 22.22

-36.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-27.33%

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

$19.7K ¥133.2K

$28.2K BGN 46.9K

-30.09%

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

$17.8K ¥120.3K

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

-26.93%

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

$51.9 ¥350

$93.5 BGN 156

-44.55%

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

$8.73 ¥59.0

$13.32 BGN 22.16

-34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.48 ¥91.1

$9.95 BGN 16.56

35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.45 ¥307

$55.1 BGN 91.7

-17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.37 ¥138

$29.82 BGN 49.61

-31.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 ¥54.8

$8.21 BGN 13.66

-1.10%

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

$1,289 ¥8,707

$237 BGN 395

442.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K ¥211.4K

$2,402 BGN 3,997

1202.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥404

$47.81 BGN 79.5

25.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 ¥254

$41.38 BGN 68.8

-8.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ¥525

$80.4 BGN 134

-3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 ¥660

$73.2 BGN 122

33.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ¥6,509

$234 BGN 389

312.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 ¥3,824

$166 BGN 276

240.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,491 ¥16.8K

$389 BGN 647

540.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ¥7,975

$306 BGN 509

286.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K ¥95.7K

$1,258 BGN 2,092

1025.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,684 ¥45.2K

$989 BGN 1,645

575.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,676 ¥11.3K

$1,123 BGN 1,868

49.29%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Shanghai and $234 in Haskovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 49% 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 $41.00 in Haskovo. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $208, 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 38% 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.

Shanghai pays 49% more on average, 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: $964 in Shanghai versus $234 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 $41.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $873 in Haskovo versus $1,202 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 38% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.