Cost of Living Comparison Between Szolnok and Pleven Cost of Living Comparison Between Szolnok and Pleven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,154 per month in Szolnok vs $932 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,773 per month in Szolnok vs $1,456 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,393 per month in Szolnok vs $1,980 in Pleven, rent included.

Szolnok costs about 24% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Szolnok and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Szolnok 16% lower, Pleven 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.26 Ft 3,197
$8.75 BGN 14.55
17.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.22 Ft 14.7K
$31.20 BGN 51.9
51.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 Ft 2,624
$6.63 BGN 11.02
27.00%
Cappuccino
$2.37 Ft 739
$2.28 BGN 3.80
3.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 Ft 625
$1.33 BGN 2.21
51.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 Ft 389
$1.18 BGN 1.96
5.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 Ft 851
$2.27 BGN 3.78
20.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 Ft 901
$2.31 BGN 3.84
25.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 Ft 297
$1.71 BGN 2.84
-44.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 Ft 399
$1.22 BGN 2.03
4.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 Ft 526
$1.81 BGN 3.02
-6.63%
Eggs
$3.20 Ft 996
$3.72 BGN 6.20
-13.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.01 Ft 2,497
$9.68 BGN 16.10
-17.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.81 Ft 2,122
$8.09 BGN 13.45
-15.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.95 Ft 4,349
$14.51 BGN 24.14
-3.86%
Apples (1kg)
$1.54 Ft 479
$1.28 BGN 2.13
20.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 Ft 589
$2.13 BGN 3.54
-11.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 Ft 474
$2.29 BGN 3.80
-33.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.50 Ft 779
$2.31 BGN 3.85
8.23%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 Ft 224
$1.23 BGN 2.04
-41.46%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 Ft 232
$1.13 BGN 1.87
-34.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 Ft 334
$1.07 BGN 1.78
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.39 Ft 121
$0.78 BGN 1.30
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.06 Ft 2,200
$3.58 BGN 5.96
97.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.88 Ft 1,209
$6.72 BGN 11.19
-42.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 Ft 294
$0.85 BGN 1.41
10.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 404
$1.23 BGN 2.04
5.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.10 Ft 343
$0.89 BGN 1.48
23.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.47 Ft 8,563
$41.99 BGN 69.9
-34.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.05 Ft 952
$1.51 BGN 2.50
101.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.23 Ft 695
$0.93 BGN 1.54
139.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.19 Ft 4,736
$12.28 BGN 20.43
23.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 Ft 582
$1.61 BGN 2.68
16.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K Ft 8.7M
$31.0K BGN 51.6K
-9.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.9K Ft 12.1M
$26.4K BGN 43.8K
47.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$132 Ft 41.2K
$101 BGN 167
31.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.07 Ft 9,371
$16.44 BGN 27.35
82.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.78 Ft 7,099
$11.07 BGN 18.42
105.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.39 Ft 13.2K
$33.26 BGN 55.3
27.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.34 Ft 6,027
$25.36 BGN 42.20
-23.74%
Cinema Ticket
$3.36 Ft 1,046
$9.17 BGN 15.25
-63.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$158 Ft 49.2K
$535 BGN 890
-70.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,038 Ft 1.6M
$6,621 BGN 11.0K
-23.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.4 Ft 26.3K
$43.16 BGN 71.8
95.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.7 Ft 16.1K
$29.45 BGN 49.00
75.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 Ft 29.2K
$97.8 BGN 163
-3.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 Ft 37.8K
$105 BGN 174
15.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$420 Ft 131.0K
$351 BGN 584
19.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$340 Ft 105.9K
$178 BGN 296
90.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 Ft 203.8K
$584 BGN 972
11.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$522 Ft 162.6K
$336 BGN 559
55.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,105 Ft 655.9K
$1,478 BGN 2,458
42.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,690 Ft 526.8K
$1,177 BGN 1,958
43.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szolnok
Pleven
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,098 Ft 342.3K
$954 BGN 1,587
15.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.69
2.93
162.46%

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

Last update for Szolnok: August 31, 2026

Last update for Pleven: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Szolnok versus $351 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 15% 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 $47.00 in Szolnok versus $31.00 in Pleven. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Szolnok vs $244 in Pleven – so Szolnok wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,154 in Szolnok, $932 in Pleven – roughly 24% apart. Szolnok costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Szolnok compared to Pleven?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,731 per month in Szolnok and $1,398 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 $47.00 in Szolnok and $31.00 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 $932, than in Szolnok at $1,154. 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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