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: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $892 in Haskovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $1,434 in Haskovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $1,976 in Haskovo.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 37% more expensive than in Haskovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Haskovo 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.26

$10.05 BGN 16.71

-55.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$46.43 BGN 77.2

-36.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.26

$10.23 BGN 17.01

-48.58%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$2.11 BGN 3.51

50.71%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$1.23 BGN 2.04

-49.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$1.00 BGN 1.66

-64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.35 BGN 2.25

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$4.67 BGN 7.77

-41.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.71 BGN 2.85

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.72 BGN 1.19

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-38.55%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$3.33 BGN 5.55

-51.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$11.74 BGN 19.52

46.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.20

$7.90 BGN 13.15

-60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$8.72 BGN 14.50

50.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.65 BGN 2.75

29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.97 BGN 3.27

-8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$1.53 BGN 2.55

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.85 BGN 1.42

-9.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.93 BGN 1.55

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.88 BGN 1.46

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.65 BGN 1.08

-6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.42

$4.29 BGN 7.14

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

$7.55 BGN 12.56

37.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.79 BGN 1.31

11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-6.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.69 BGN 1.15

-14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$23.99 BGN 39.91

25.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$1.16 BGN 1.92

86.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.74 BGN 1.23

-41.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

$14.01 BGN 23.31

-35.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.57 BGN 2.62

-19.75%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$31.5K BGN 52.4K

-38.29%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$24.5K BGN 40.8K

-23.66%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$95.2 BGN 158

-39.56%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$13.38 BGN 22.26

-37.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$9.76 BGN 16.24

3.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$55.4 BGN 92.1

17.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$30.08 BGN 50.0

-42.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$8.11 BGN 13.48

10.73%

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

$1,411 ¥9,452

$770 BGN 1,282

83.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$2,328 BGN 3,872

1113.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$47.57 BGN 79.1

9.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$43.84 BGN 72.9

-14.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$79.5 BGN 132

-7.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$85.9 BGN 143

22.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,574

$239 BGN 397

310.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,786

$165 BGN 275

241.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$387 BGN 644

524.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,807

$311 BGN 518

274.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$1,276 BGN 2,123

971.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,023 BGN 1,702

497.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$1,150 BGN 1,912

51.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

2.9

16.55%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $239 in Haskovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 52% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $46.00 in Haskovo. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $219, 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 37% 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 52% 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: $982 in Shanghai versus $239 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 $46.00 versus $29.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $892 in Haskovo versus $1,219 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 37% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.