Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Plovdiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Smolyan: $724 a month against $1,191 in Plovdiv, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Smolyan
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Smolyan Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Plovdiv
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Plovdiv Living Index

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Smolyan

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$724

/mo nomad

Plovdiv

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,191

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Smolyan and in Plovdiv

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Smolyan and in Plovdiv actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $724 per month in Smolyan vs $1,191 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Smolyan $724
Plovdiv $1,191

A couple spends around $1,158 per month in Smolyan vs $1,852 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Smolyan $1,158
Plovdiv $1,852

A family of three spends $1,591 per month in Smolyan vs $2,512 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Smolyan $1,591
Plovdiv $2,512

Smolyan is about 39% cheaper than Plovdiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Smolyan and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Smolyan 47% lower, Plovdiv 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 BGN 11.19

$9.02 BGN 15.70

-28.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.31 BGN 64.9

$44.57 BGN 77.6

-16.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.72 BGN 9.95

$9.55 BGN 16.62

-40.10%

Cappuccino

$1.29 BGN 2.25

$2.86 BGN 4.98

-54.90%

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

$0.98 BGN 1.71

$1.78 BGN 3.09

-44.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 BGN 1.20

$1.51 BGN 2.62

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

$2.55 BGN 4.43

-31.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BGN 3.67

$4.34 BGN 7.55

-51.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.93

$1.84 BGN 3.21

-8.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BGN 1.66

$1.23 BGN 2.13

-22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.96

$2.16 BGN 3.76

-21.30%

Eggs

$3.26 BGN 5.67

$3.67 BGN 6.39

-11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.12 BGN 17.60

$11.74 BGN 20.43

-13.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 BGN 9.96

$8.38 BGN 14.59

-31.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.47 BGN 14.73

$13.89 BGN 24.16

-39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 2.02

$1.64 BGN 2.85

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.78 BGN 3.10

-5.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 BGN 2.04

$2.01 BGN 3.50

-41.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.53 BGN 4.41

-7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.04 BGN 1.81

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BGN 2.47

$1.09 BGN 1.89

30.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$1.16 BGN 2.02

-20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 BGN 0.94

$0.72 BGN 1.26

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 BGN 5.98

$3.98 BGN 6.92

-13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 BGN 9.68

$6.18 BGN 10.76

-10.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BGN 0.96

$1.18 BGN 2.05

-53.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 BGN 2.95

$2.01 BGN 3.49

-15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 BGN 1.65

$0.56 BGN 0.97

69.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.88 BGN 57.2

$28.23 BGN 49.11

16.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 BGN 2.25

$1.22 BGN 2.13

5.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 BGN 1.02

$0.61 BGN 1.07

-3.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.04 BGN 20.95

$10.15 BGN 17.65

18.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BGN 2.69

$1.69 BGN 2.94

-8.28%

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

$23.0K BGN 40.1K

$30.7K BGN 53.4K

-24.94%

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

$22.7K BGN 39.5K

$24.5K BGN 42.6K

-7.37%

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

$103 BGN 179

$112 BGN 194

-7.57%

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

$14.48 BGN 25.20

$18.47 BGN 32.13

-21.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 BGN 15.86

$15.76 BGN 27.43

-42.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.89 BGN 38.10

$40.66 BGN 70.8

-46.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 BGN 29.18

$20.35 BGN 35.41

-17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 BGN 13.12

$9.16 BGN 15.94

-17.69%

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

$232 BGN 403

$507 BGN 883

-54.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,911 BGN 10.3K

$5,491 BGN 9,555

7.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.35 BGN 49.33

$68.8 BGN 120

-58.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.15 BGN 36.79

$42.55 BGN 74.0

-50.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 BGN 103

$94.9 BGN 165

-37.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.1 BGN 110

$105 BGN 183

-39.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 BGN 349

$537 BGN 935

-62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 BGN 246

$388 BGN 675

-63.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 BGN 504

$866 BGN 1,506

-66.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 BGN 424

$670 BGN 1,166

-63.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,342 BGN 2,335

$2,227 BGN 3,875

-39.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,059 BGN 1,843

$1,542 BGN 2,683

-31.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$670 BGN 1,165

$1,147 BGN 1,996

-41.64%

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 Smolyan: October 19, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Smolyan

$197 27.2%

Plovdiv

$253 21.3% 28.8% $57

Accommodation & Living

Smolyan

$141 19.5%

Plovdiv

$388 32.6% 175% $247

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Smolyan

$127 17.5%

Plovdiv

$146 12.2% 15.1% $19

Eating Out

Smolyan

$104 14.3%

Plovdiv

$170 14.3% 63.7% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Smolyan

$77 10.7%

Plovdiv

$140 11.8% 81.2% $63

Getting Around

Smolyan

$41 5.7%

Plovdiv

$35 2.9% 15.1% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Smolyan

$37 5.1%

Plovdiv

$59 5% 59.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $201 in Smolyan versus $537 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 71% 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 $37.00 in Smolyan versus $45.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $253 – making Smolyan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Smolyan

🇧🇬 Plovdiv

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Smolyan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

30,507

368,983

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Smolyan Plovdiv 63 km

From you

Smolyan
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Smolyan vs Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $724 in Smolyan, $1,191 in Plovdiv – roughly 65% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,085 per month in Smolyan and $1,786 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 16% less in Smolyan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $232 per month in Smolyan and $507 in Plovdiv. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Smolyan, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Plovdiv at $1,191. In Smolyan 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 $724 in Smolyan to $1,191 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 Smolyan. 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.