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: $1,220 in Shanghai versus $858 in Haskovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,946 in Shanghai versus $1,376 in Haskovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Shanghai versus $1,895 in Haskovo.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ¥32.39

$9.86 BGN 16.46

-52.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ¥253

$40.83 BGN 68.2

-9.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥37.03

$8.61 BGN 14.38

-37.17%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥23.41

$2.08 BGN 3.47

64.42%

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

$0.55 ¥3.76

$1.23 BGN 2.05

-55.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$0.70 BGN 1.17

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$1.32 BGN 2.20

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥19.67

$3.01 BGN 5.03

-4.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ¥14.23

$1.66 BGN 2.76

25.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.30

$0.71 BGN 1.19

153.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.18

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-39.31%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.14

$3.31 BGN 5.53

-50.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 ¥105

$9.19 BGN 15.35

67.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥21.10

$7.59 BGN 12.67

-59.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥75.1

$8.59 BGN 14.34

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.24

$1.67 BGN 2.79

41.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.13

$2.02 BGN 3.37

-12.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.88

$1.47 BGN 2.45

17.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.05

$1.81 BGN 3.03

-18.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.37

$0.86 BGN 1.44

-9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.71

$1.22 BGN 2.04

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.82 BGN 1.37

-17.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.10

$0.70 BGN 1.17

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.28

$3.62 BGN 6.05

-22.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 ¥81.2

$7.35 BGN 12.28

61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.45

$0.80 BGN 1.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$1.74 BGN 2.91

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-49.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

$23.31 BGN 38.93

50.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ¥15.09

$1.16 BGN 1.94

89.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.66 BGN 1.11

-37.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥56.5

$13.21 BGN 22.07

-37.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.56

$1.56 BGN 2.61

-29.49%

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

$19.8K ¥135.7K

$29.1K BGN 48.5K

-31.83%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$24.0K BGN 40.1K

-24.58%

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

$51.3 ¥351

$96.3 BGN 161

-46.76%

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

$8.47 ¥58.0

$13.05 BGN 21.79

-35.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 ¥95.4

$10.05 BGN 16.79

38.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 ¥319

$55.9 BGN 93.3

-16.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

$29.37 BGN 49.05

-31.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.6

$8.39 BGN 14.02

-1.55%

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

$1,309 ¥8,969

$235 BGN 392

457.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥219.3K

$2,371 BGN 3,960

1250.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥399

$47.49 BGN 79.3

22.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥261

$42.00 BGN 70.1

-9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$79.7 BGN 133

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥660

$71.4 BGN 119

34.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ¥6,595

$233 BGN 390

312.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 ¥3,859

$169 BGN 282

233.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥17.1K

$378 BGN 631

558.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,198

$313 BGN 522

282.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

$1,296 BGN 2,164

968.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

$1,029 BGN 1,718

607.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 ¥11.4K

$832 BGN 1,389

100.95%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Shanghai and $233 in Haskovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 101% 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: $37.00 in Shanghai vs $41.00 in Haskovo. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $209, 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.

Shanghai pays 101% 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: $963 in Shanghai versus $233 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 $37.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $858 in Haskovo versus $1,220 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.