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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Shumen vs $1,074 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,388 per month in Shumen vs $1,742 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Shumen vs $2,409 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Shumen is about 19% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shumen and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Shumen 35% lower, Plovdiv 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 BGN 16.24

$8.96 BGN 14.91

8.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.12 BGN 48.45

$47.57 BGN 79.1

-38.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 BGN 15.13

$8.54 BGN 14.21

6.44%

Cappuccino

$1.71 BGN 2.84

$2.43 BGN 4.04

-29.63%

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

$1.33 BGN 2.22

$1.49 BGN 2.49

-10.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.18

$0.87 BGN 1.44

-18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 BGN 3.46

$2.87 BGN 4.78

-27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-21.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 BGN 2.70

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 BGN 1.57

$1.06 BGN 1.77

-11.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.27

$2.13 BGN 3.55

-7.51%

Eggs

$3.06 BGN 5.10

$3.33 BGN 5.54

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 BGN 15.24

$11.47 BGN 19.08

-20.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 BGN 9.43

$7.52 BGN 12.51

-24.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.44 BGN 19.03

$12.06 BGN 20.07

-5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 BGN 2.85

$1.52 BGN 2.53

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BGN 3.50

$1.70 BGN 2.83

23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 BGN 3.47

$1.61 BGN 2.68

29.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 3.88

$2.52 BGN 4.20

-7.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.02 BGN 1.70

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$1.15 BGN 1.90

15.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.10 BGN 1.83

-15.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.78 BGN 1.29

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 BGN 5.95

$3.64 BGN 6.06

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.41

$5.81 BGN 9.67

28.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BGN 1.67

$1.07 BGN 1.78

-6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BGN 2.66

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$0.56 BGN 0.94

55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.10 BGN 43.42

$27.89 BGN 46.39

-6.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.19 BGN 1.98

5.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 BGN 0.51

$0.66 BGN 1.10

-53.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.97 BGN 21.57

$10.50 BGN 17.47

23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.52 BGN 2.53

-1.97%

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

$32.6K BGN 54.3K

$32.3K BGN 53.7K

1.08%

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

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

$28.3K BGN 47.0K

-8.81%

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

$94.7 BGN 158

$95.9 BGN 160

-1.20%

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

$16.37 BGN 27.23

$17.98 BGN 29.91

-8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.71 BGN 22.80

$14.89 BGN 24.77

-7.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.89 BGN 66.4

$36.59 BGN 60.9

9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 BGN 19.30

$15.07 BGN 25.07

-23.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 BGN 11.76

$9.27 BGN 15.42

-23.73%

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

$236 BGN 393

$420 BGN 699

-43.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K BGN 17.5K

$6,882 BGN 11.4K

52.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 BGN 92.3

$60.6 BGN 101

-8.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.49 BGN 69.0

$34.93 BGN 58.1

18.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 BGN 134

$99.8 BGN 166

-19.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 BGN 117

$105 BGN 175

-32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 BGN 460

$468 BGN 779

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 BGN 322

$338 BGN 563

-42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 BGN 848

$832 BGN 1,384

-38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 BGN 547

$611 BGN 1,017

-46.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,291 BGN 2,147

$2,290 BGN 3,809

-43.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,045 BGN 1,738

$1,561 BGN 2,596

-33.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 BGN 1,750

$1,148 BGN 1,910

-8.38%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Shumen versus $468 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 9% 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 $29.00 in Shumen versus $48.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $235 – 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: $872 in Shumen, $1,074 in Plovdiv – roughly 23% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 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 $236 per month in Shumen and $420 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 $872, 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 $872 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.