Cost of Living Comparison Between Shumen and Plovdiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Shumen and Plovdiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $878 per month in Shumen vs $1,074 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,375 per month in Shumen vs $1,715 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Shumen vs $2,356 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Shumen is about 18% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shumen and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Shumen 34% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 BGN 16.30

$8.61 BGN 14.38

13.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.01 BGN 50.1

$47.26 BGN 78.9

-36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 14.47

$8.39 BGN 14.02

3.22%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$2.39 BGN 3.99

-30.54%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$1.45 BGN 2.43

-4.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.87 BGN 1.46

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 BGN 3.31

$2.98 BGN 4.98

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 BGN 3.95

$2.94 BGN 4.91

-19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.81

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$1.07 BGN 1.78

-10.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.13

$2.21 BGN 3.69

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.02 BGN 5.04

$3.41 BGN 5.70

-11.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 BGN 16.19

$11.65 BGN 19.46

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 BGN 9.85

$7.55 BGN 12.61

-21.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 BGN 19.26

$12.37 BGN 20.66

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 BGN 2.93

$1.50 BGN 2.51

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.46

$1.68 BGN 2.80

23.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.42

$1.61 BGN 2.69

27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 BGN 3.81

$2.57 BGN 4.29

-11.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.03 BGN 1.72

45.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$1.10 BGN 1.84

25.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 BGN 1.62

$1.05 BGN 1.76

-7.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$0.76 BGN 1.28

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 BGN 6.07

$3.64 BGN 6.07

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 BGN 12.15

$7.10 BGN 11.86

2.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BGN 1.67

$1.03 BGN 1.72

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 BGN 2.70

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.48

$0.62 BGN 1.03

43.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.38 BGN 44.06

$28.20 BGN 47.10

-6.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 BGN 2.10

$1.21 BGN 2.02

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 BGN 0.51

$0.61 BGN 1.02

-49.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 BGN 22.20

$10.47 BGN 17.49

26.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.49

$1.57 BGN 2.62

-5.10%

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

$32.6K BGN 54.5K

$31.7K BGN 53.0K

2.83%

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

$25.6K BGN 42.8K

$28.1K BGN 46.9K

-8.77%

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

$95.1 BGN 159

$94.6 BGN 158

0.55%

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

$16.85 BGN 28.14

$17.76 BGN 29.67

-5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.05 BGN 23.46

$15.25 BGN 25.46

-7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 BGN 65.9

$37.68 BGN 62.9

4.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 BGN 19.82

$15.03 BGN 25.10

-21.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 BGN 11.98

$9.04 BGN 15.09

-20.69%

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

$235 BGN 392

$427 BGN 713

-45.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K BGN 17.7K

$7,075 BGN 11.8K

49.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 BGN 91.2

$61.0 BGN 102

-10.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.70 BGN 69.6

$36.05 BGN 60.2

15.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 BGN 139

$102 BGN 170

-17.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 BGN 121

$106 BGN 177

-31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 BGN 464

$482 BGN 805

-42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 BGN 315

$343 BGN 572

-44.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 BGN 826

$821 BGN 1,371

-39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 BGN 541

$602 BGN 1,005

-46.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,299 BGN 2,169

$2,400 BGN 4,009

-45.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 BGN 1,735

$1,560 BGN 2,605

-33.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 BGN 1,759

$1,142 BGN 1,908

-7.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

4.49

1.78%

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

Last update for Shumen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Shumen versus $482 in Plovdiv. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Plovdiv, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shumen versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $239 – making Shumen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Shumen vs Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $878 in Shumen, $1,074 in Plovdiv – roughly 22% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,317 per month in Shumen and $1,611 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $235 per month in Shumen and $427 in Plovdiv. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Plovdiv at $1,074. In Shumen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Plovdiv has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $878 in Shumen to $1,074 in Plovdiv. 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 Shumen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.