Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $903 in Stara Zagora versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,422 in Stara Zagora versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Stara Zagora versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Stara Zagora costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Stara Zagora is 34% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.68 BGN 17.77

$17.30 €14.92

-38.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 BGN 87.3

$63.3 €54.6

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 BGN 15.75

$11.39 €9.83

-16.86%

Cappuccino

$2.34 BGN 3.89

$3.19 €2.75

-26.65%

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

$1.56 BGN 2.59

$2.45 €2.11

-36.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 BGN 1.40

$1.76 €1.52

-52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 BGN 3.75

$3.59 €3.10

-37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$3.39 €2.93

-39.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.24 €1.07

45.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 BGN 1.39

$1.98 €1.71

-57.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.52 €1.31

Eggs

$2.42 BGN 4.03

$4.04 €3.49

-40.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.38 BGN 15.60

$13.54 €11.68

-30.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 BGN 11.23

$8.39 €7.23

-19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 BGN 14.50

$18.25 €15.74

-52.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.17

$2.29 €1.97

-43.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 BGN 2.91

$1.74 €1.50

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.86 €1.60

-5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.27

$2.63 €2.27

-25.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$1.92 €1.65

-45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$2.09 €1.81

-64.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 BGN 0.96

$1.44 €1.24

-59.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.09

$0.84 €0.73

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 BGN 6.39

$6.78 €5.85

-43.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 BGN 8.80

$5.71 €4.93

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$1.38 €1.19

-18.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$2.22 €1.91

-17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.54

$2.40 €2.07

-61.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.78 BGN 31.23

$46.78 €40.35

-59.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$4.17 €3.60

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 BGN 1.05

$1.14 €0.98

-44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$17.68 €15.25

-33.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$2.32 €2.00

-28.45%

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

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

$35.3K €30.5K

-11.27%

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

$21.8K BGN 36.3K

$41.4K €35.7K

-47.37%

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

$96.0 BGN 160

$170 €147

-43.62%

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

$15.63 BGN 26.00

$19.34 €16.68

-19.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.41 BGN 20.65

$33.64 €29.01

-63.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.08 BGN 46.72

$48.10 €41.48

-41.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.42 BGN 37.31

$19.90 €17.16

12.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 BGN 15.22

$9.92 €8.56

-7.76%

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

$235 BGN 392

$717 €619

-67.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,345 BGN 3,902

$17.5K €15.1K

-86.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.63 BGN 52.6

$105 €90.4

-69.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.06 BGN 33.37

$46.95 €40.49

-57.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 BGN 110

$103 €89.2

-36.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 BGN 89.5

$124 €107

-56.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 BGN 509

$1,677 €1,446

-81.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 BGN 439

$1,271 €1,096

-79.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 BGN 855

$2,985 €2,574

-82.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 BGN 674

$1,992 €1,718

-79.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,495 BGN 2,488

$7,826 €6,750

-80.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 BGN 1,841

$4,658 €4,017

-76.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 BGN 1,819

$1,583 €1,365

-30.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.99

3.79

-21.11%

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

Last update for Stara Zagora: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Stara Zagora and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Stara Zagora vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $283 per month, with Stara Zagora cheaper across the board.

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

Stara Zagora vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stara Zagora and Lisbon differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($903 vs $2,316 including rent). Stara Zagora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Lisbon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $306 in Stara Zagora versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $235 in Stara Zagora versus $717 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $903 in Stara Zagora versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Stara Zagora but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Stara Zagora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Stara Zagora and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Stara Zagora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.