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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $889 per month in Shumen vs $1,084 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Shumen vs $1,710 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Shumen vs $2,336 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 33% lower, Plovdiv 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 BGN 15.80

$9.06 BGN 15.07

4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.38 BGN 48.87

$48.11 BGN 80.0

-38.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 14.41

$8.35 BGN 13.90

3.71%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-30.61%

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

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$1.48 BGN 2.47

-7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.19

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-16.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$2.98 BGN 4.96

-32.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 BGN 3.87

$2.97 BGN 4.95

-21.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BGN 2.73

$1.74 BGN 2.90

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BGN 1.59

$1.01 BGN 1.68

-5.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$2.14 BGN 3.56

-10.75%

Eggs

$3.08 BGN 5.12

$3.48 BGN 5.79

-11.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 BGN 15.66

$11.61 BGN 19.31

-18.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 BGN 9.37

$7.57 BGN 12.59

-25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.73 BGN 19.51

$11.95 BGN 19.88

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.55 BGN 2.59

13.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$1.70 BGN 2.83

20.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.42

$1.67 BGN 2.77

23.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 BGN 3.74

$2.46 BGN 4.09

-8.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.42

$0.98 BGN 1.64

47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$1.10 BGN 1.84

20.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$1.10 BGN 1.83

-15.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$0.82 BGN 1.36

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 BGN 5.94

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 BGN 12.00

$6.49 BGN 10.80

11.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.03 BGN 1.72

-9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 BGN 2.68

$1.73 BGN 2.88

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$0.61 BGN 1.02

42.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 BGN 44.44

$28.41 BGN 47.26

-5.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.20 BGN 2.00

4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 BGN 0.51

$0.62 BGN 1.02

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.36 BGN 22.22

$10.51 BGN 17.49

27.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.47

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-1.32%

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

$32.0K BGN 53.2K

$31.9K BGN 53.2K

0.03%

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

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

$28.8K BGN 48.0K

-12.67%

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

$96.4 BGN 160

$94.5 BGN 157

1.98%

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

$16.33 BGN 27.16

$18.15 BGN 30.19

-10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 BGN 23.13

$14.95 BGN 24.88

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.73 BGN 66.1

$37.16 BGN 61.8

6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 BGN 19.41

$14.77 BGN 24.58

-20.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BGN 11.54

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-23.74%

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

$237 BGN 394

$427 BGN 710

-44.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

$7,070 BGN 11.8K

49.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 BGN 90.6

$61.4 BGN 102

-11.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 BGN 69.2

$34.91 BGN 58.1

19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 BGN 138

$98.0 BGN 163

-15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 BGN 120

$107 BGN 178

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 BGN 452

$474 BGN 789

-42.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 BGN 314

$342 BGN 568

-44.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 BGN 844

$833 BGN 1,385

-39.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 BGN 542

$599 BGN 997

-45.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,289 BGN 2,144

$2,292 BGN 3,812

-43.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 BGN 1,691

$1,558 BGN 2,591

-34.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,034 BGN 1,719

$1,151 BGN 1,914

-10.19%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Shumen versus $474 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 11% 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 $236 – 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: $889 in Shumen, $1,084 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 $1,334 per month in Shumen and $1,626 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 6% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $237 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 $889, than in Plovdiv at $1,084. 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 $889 in Shumen to $1,084 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.