Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szolnok and Pleven

For one person, living is cheaper in Pleven: $893 a month against $1,122 in Szolnok, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Szolnok
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,122
/mo nomad
Pleven
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$893
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szolnok and in Pleven

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

A single person spends $1,122 per month in Szolnok vs $893 in Pleven, rent included.

  • Szolnok $1,122
  • Pleven $893

A couple spends around $1,721 per month in Szolnok vs $1,425 in Pleven, rent included.

  • Szolnok $1,721
  • Pleven $1,425

A family of three spends $2,319 per month in Szolnok vs $1,956 in Pleven, rent included.

  • Szolnok $2,319
  • Pleven $1,956

Szolnok costs about 26% more than Pleven, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Szolnok and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Szolnok 17% lower, Pleven 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.17 Ft 3,286
$8.42 BGN 14.64
20.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.84 Ft 14.8K
$29.36 BGN 51.1
56.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.89 Ft 2,548
$6.26 BGN 10.90
26.04%
Cappuccino
$2.39 Ft 773
$2.09 BGN 3.64
14.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 Ft 633
$1.27 BGN 2.21
54.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 Ft 389
$1.13 BGN 1.97
7.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 Ft 868
$2.21 BGN 3.84
21.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 Ft 876
$2.30 BGN 4.00
17.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 Ft 318
$1.63 BGN 2.83
-39.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 Ft 401
$1.14 BGN 1.98
8.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 Ft 515
$1.67 BGN 2.91
-4.79%
Eggs
$3.22 Ft 1,042
$3.58 BGN 6.23
-10.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.62 Ft 2,461
$9.15 BGN 15.93
-16.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.47 Ft 2,091
$8.23 BGN 14.33
-21.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.64 Ft 4,406
$14.20 BGN 24.70
-3.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.47 Ft 476
$1.28 BGN 2.23
14.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 Ft 586
$1.98 BGN 3.45
-8.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 Ft 475
$2.23 BGN 3.89
-34.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 Ft 783
$2.22 BGN 3.87
9.01%
Potato (1kg)
$0.64 Ft 208
$1.17 BGN 2.03
-45.30%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 Ft 248
$1.08 BGN 1.87
-28.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Ft 325
$1.06 BGN 1.85
-4.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 Ft 112
$0.71 BGN 1.23
-50.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.73 Ft 2,175
$3.62 BGN 6.30
85.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.64 Ft 1,177
$6.42 BGN 11.18
-43.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 Ft 293
$0.77 BGN 1.34
18.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 Ft 418
$1.19 BGN 2.08
8.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 Ft 348
$0.92 BGN 1.60
17.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.89 Ft 8,366
$40.64 BGN 70.7
-36.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.90 Ft 937
$1.61 BGN 2.79
80.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 Ft 715
$0.85 BGN 1.48
160.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.58 Ft 4,712
$12.21 BGN 21.25
19.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 Ft 603
$1.67 BGN 2.90
11.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K Ft 8.8M
$30.0K BGN 52.2K
-8.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K Ft 12.2M
$24.4K BGN 42.5K
54.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 Ft 42.3K
$95.9 BGN 167
36.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.86 Ft 9,648
$16.22 BGN 28.22
84.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.54 Ft 7,281
$10.87 BGN 18.91
107.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.97 Ft 13.2K
$35.76 BGN 62.2
14.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.64 Ft 6,021
$24.07 BGN 41.88
-22.56%
Cinema Ticket
$3.23 Ft 1,042
$8.81 BGN 15.33
-63.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$152 Ft 49.3K
$519 BGN 903
-70.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,950 Ft 1.6M
$6,309 BGN 11.0K
-21.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.6 Ft 27.3K
$41.92 BGN 72.9
101.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.0 Ft 16.5K
$28.77 BGN 50.1
77.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.5 Ft 28.9K
$94.8 BGN 165
-5.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 Ft 37.5K
$103 BGN 179
13.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$413 Ft 133.3K
$333 BGN 579
23.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 Ft 106.1K
$174 BGN 302
89.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$637 Ft 205.9K
$568 BGN 989
12.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$521 Ft 168.2K
$333 BGN 580
56.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,036 Ft 657.7K
$1,454 BGN 2,530
40.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,667 Ft 538.7K
$1,136 BGN 1,977
46.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,068 Ft 345.2K
$914 BGN 1,591
16.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.69
2.82
172.70%

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

Last update for Szolnok: October 17, 2026

Last update for Pleven: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Szolnok
$328
Pleven
$174 47.1% $155
Groceries & Markets
Szolnok
$200
Pleven
$236 17.9% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szolnok
$183
Pleven
$123 32.9% $60
Eating Out
Szolnok
$165
Pleven
$136 17.4% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Szolnok
$154
Pleven
$121 21.4% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Szolnok
$47
Pleven
$53 12.6% $6
Getting Around
Szolnok
$44
Pleven
$50 13.6% $6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $413 in Szolnok versus $333 in Pleven. 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 17% higher in Szolnok, 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 $46.00 in Szolnok versus $29.00 in Pleven. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Szolnok vs $236 in Pleven – so Szolnok wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Szolnok
🇧🇬 Pleven
🕒 Local time
13:35 1:35 PM
14:35 2:35 PM
1 h ahead of Szolnok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
66,426
111,567
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Szolnok Pleven 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Szolnok
  • Pleven

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
Szolnok vs Pleven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Szolnok and in Pleven compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,122 in Szolnok, $893 in Pleven – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Szolnok compared to Pleven?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,683 per month in Szolnok and $1,340 in Pleven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Szolnok and Pleven?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pleven, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Szolnok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Szolnok and $29.00 in Pleven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pleven, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Szolnok at $1,122. In Pleven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szolnok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Szolnok or Pleven?
Families tend to lean toward Pleven – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Szolnok or Pleven safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Szolnok and Pleven?
If budget matters most, go with Pleven. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szolnok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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