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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Stara Zagora vs $1,068 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Stara Zagora vs $1,734 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Stara Zagora vs $2,401 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Stara Zagora is about 21% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stara Zagora and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Stara Zagora 37% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 BGN 15.13

$8.72 BGN 14.51

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 BGN 58.9

$46.71 BGN 77.7

-24.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 BGN 15.23

$8.43 BGN 14.02

8.66%

Cappuccino

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-23.90%

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

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$1.45 BGN 2.41

-11.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 BGN 1.22

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$2.99 BGN 4.98

-59.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$2.90 BGN 4.82

-29.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 BGN 3.15

$1.81 BGN 3.01

4.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 BGN 1.37

$1.03 BGN 1.71

-20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 BGN 2.58

$2.13 BGN 3.54

-27.23%

Eggs

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$3.32 BGN 5.52

-31.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 BGN 15.19

$11.87 BGN 19.75

-23.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.36 BGN 12.25

$7.51 BGN 12.50

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 BGN 14.12

$12.07 BGN 20.08

-29.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$1.58 BGN 2.63

-13.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.76

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.65 BGN 2.75

12.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 BGN 3.60

$2.56 BGN 4.26

-15.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BGN 1.69

$0.99 BGN 1.64

2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 BGN 1.35

$1.12 BGN 1.86

-27.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 BGN 0.93

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-48.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.19

$0.76 BGN 1.26

-6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 BGN 6.52

$3.47 BGN 5.76

12.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 BGN 8.84

$5.97 BGN 9.93

-11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BGN 2.05

$1.08 BGN 1.80

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 BGN 3.60

$1.76 BGN 2.93

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$0.56 BGN 0.93

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.02 BGN 31.65

$27.49 BGN 45.73

-30.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 BGN 2.23

$1.16 BGN 1.93

15.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.12

$0.65 BGN 1.08

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 BGN 19.27

$10.58 BGN 17.60

9.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.47

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-6.29%

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

$24.8K BGN 41.3K

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-23.50%

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

$17.4K BGN 29.0K

$28.2K BGN 47.0K

-38.25%

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

$101 BGN 169

$97.8 BGN 163

3.75%

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

$15.19 BGN 25.26

$17.71 BGN 29.45

-14.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.35 BGN 18.88

$15.47 BGN 25.74

-26.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.34 BGN 32.17

$37.09 BGN 61.7

-47.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.37 BGN 28.90

$14.94 BGN 24.85

16.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 BGN 13.11

$9.02 BGN 15.01

-12.64%

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

$232 BGN 386

$429 BGN 713

-45.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,400 BGN 3,993

$6,868 BGN 11.4K

-65.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.78 BGN 64.5

$60.6 BGN 101

-35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.03 BGN 31.65

$35.10 BGN 58.4

-45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.9 BGN 130

$97.9 BGN 163

-20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 BGN 125

$107 BGN 178

-29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 BGN 413

$467 BGN 778

-46.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 BGN 376

$344 BGN 572

-34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 BGN 664

$811 BGN 1,349

-50.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 BGN 592

$622 BGN 1,035

-42.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,497 BGN 2,490

$2,268 BGN 3,774

-34.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,082 BGN 1,800

$1,521 BGN 2,530

-28.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,044 BGN 1,737

$1,134 BGN 1,887

-7.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

4.49

-24.28%

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

Last update for Stara Zagora: July 11, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Stara Zagora versus $467 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $237 – making Stara Zagora 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $846 in Stara Zagora, $1,068 in Plovdiv – roughly 26% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,269 per month in Stara Zagora and $1,602 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 45% less in Stara Zagora. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $232 per month in Stara Zagora and $429 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 Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Plovdiv at $1,068. In Stara Zagora 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 $846 in Stara Zagora to $1,068 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 Stara Zagora. 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.