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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $943 per month in Shumen vs $1,214 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Shumen vs $1,882 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,005 per month in Shumen vs $2,551 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Shumen is about 22% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shumen and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Shumen 31% lower, Plovdiv 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.72 BGN 16.18

$9.17 BGN 15.25

6.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 BGN 58.3

$46.82 BGN 77.9

-25.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 BGN 15.17

$10.19 BGN 16.95

-10.50%

Cappuccino

$1.81 BGN 3.00

$2.97 BGN 4.94

-39.06%

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

$1.47 BGN 2.44

$1.68 BGN 2.80

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 BGN 1.74

$1.57 BGN 2.61

-33.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 BGN 4.83

$2.69 BGN 4.47

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BGN 4.82

$4.08 BGN 6.78

-28.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 BGN 3.17

$1.83 BGN 3.04

4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.25 BGN 2.07

-10.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 BGN 4.33

$2.34 BGN 3.89

11.11%

Eggs

$2.98 BGN 4.96

$3.77 BGN 6.27

-20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 BGN 15.91

$12.15 BGN 20.22

-21.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 BGN 8.42

$8.64 BGN 14.37

-41.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.18 BGN 15.27

$14.71 BGN 24.48

-37.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 BGN 2.60

$1.68 BGN 2.80

-7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BGN 3.53

$1.87 BGN 3.12

13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 BGN 3.64

$2.05 BGN 3.40

6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$2.74 BGN 4.56

-17.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 BGN 3.47

$1.08 BGN 1.79

93.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 BGN 2.20

$1.12 BGN 1.86

17.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 BGN 1.38

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-30.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.31

$0.74 BGN 1.24

5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.22

$4.06 BGN 6.76

-7.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 BGN 11.95

$6.60 BGN 10.98

8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BGN 1.65

$1.18 BGN 1.96

-16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 BGN 2.44

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.61 BGN 1.01

50.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.37 BGN 43.86

$30.00 BGN 49.90

-12.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.28 BGN 2.14

39.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BGN 0.86

$0.62 BGN 1.03

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.79 BGN 17.95

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.62

$1.63 BGN 2.71

-3.07%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.0K

$31.2K BGN 51.9K

2.05%

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

$23.1K BGN 38.5K

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

-8.16%

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

$136 BGN 226

$117 BGN 194

16.25%

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

$18.06 BGN 30.05

$19.07 BGN 31.73

-5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 BGN 28.98

$16.19 BGN 26.93

7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$41.94 BGN 69.8

-3.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 BGN 19.53

$20.99 BGN 34.91

-44.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 BGN 11.62

$9.23 BGN 15.35

-24.27%

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

$588 BGN 979

$531 BGN 883

10.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

$5,699 BGN 9,480

85.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.68 BGN 82.6

$70.7 BGN 118

-29.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 BGN 86.2

$43.62 BGN 72.6

18.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 BGN 157

$99.7 BGN 166

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 BGN 106

$108 BGN 180

-41.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 BGN 459

$547 BGN 911

-49.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 BGN 310

$399 BGN 663

-53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 BGN 730

$902 BGN 1,501

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 BGN 567

$685 BGN 1,139

-50.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,261 BGN 2,098

$2,348 BGN 3,907

-46.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,030 BGN 1,714

$1,591 BGN 2,647

-35.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,035 BGN 1,722

$1,203 BGN 2,001

-13.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

3.1

4.84%

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

Last update for Shumen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Shumen versus $547 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 16% 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 $35.00 in Shumen versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $263 – 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: $943 in Shumen, $1,214 in Plovdiv – roughly 29% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,414 per month in Shumen and $1,821 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 14% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $588 per month in Shumen and $531 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 $943, than in Plovdiv at $1,214. 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 $943 in Shumen to $1,214 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.