For one person, living is cheaper in Tema: $738 a month against $970 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bansko outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tema and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $738 per month in Tema vs $970 in Bansko, rent included.
Tema $738
Bansko $970
A couple spends around $1,173 per month in Tema vs $1,464 in Bansko, rent included.
Tema $1,173
Bansko $1,464
A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Tema vs $1,957 in Bansko, rent included.
Tema $1,608
Bansko $1,957
🙂
Tema is about 24% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.
📊
Both Tema and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Tema45% lower, Bansko28% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.03GHS 82.4
$8.66BGN 15.15
-18.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.88GHS 327
$46.63BGN 81.6
-40.21%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.01BGN 15.77
-
Cappuccino
$5.05GHS 59.2
$2.24BGN 3.92
125.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90GHS 10.56
$1.50BGN 2.63
-40.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30GHS 3.55
$0.86BGN 1.51
-65.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.29GHS 38.60
$1.76BGN 3.07
86.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61GHS 30.61
$2.00BGN 3.51
30.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.16GHS 37.11
$1.79BGN 3.14
76.54%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60GHS 18.81
$0.81BGN 1.42
97.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07GHS 24.29
$1.52BGN 2.66
36.18%
Eggs
$2.30GHS 27.02
$2.30BGN 4.02
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.38GHS 51.4
$9.60BGN 16.81
-54.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.17GHS 37.14
$6.32BGN 11.06
-49.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$3.38GHS 39.66
$8.64BGN 15.12
-60.88%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61GHS 30.66
$1.28BGN 2.24
103.91%
Banana(1kg)
$2.13GHS 25.02
$1.68BGN 2.95
26.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21GHS 25.97
$1.70BGN 2.98
30.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.49GHS 40.95
$1.89BGN 3.30
84.66%
Potato(1kg)
$3.40GHS 39.91
$0.93BGN 1.63
265.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.82GHS 33.06
$0.76BGN 1.32
271.05%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.45GHS 5.25
$0.54BGN 0.95
-16.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67GHS 7.84
$0.58BGN 1.02
15.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.26GHS 14.83
$3.44BGN 6.02
-63.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.54GHS 100
$5.14BGN 9.00
66.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10GHS 24.59
$1.11BGN 1.94
89.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96GHS 34.74
$1.70BGN 2.97
74.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Tema
Bansko
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.68GHS 19.70
$0.88BGN 1.55
90.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.17GHS 483
$26.76BGN 46.83
53.85%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.10GHS 24.69
$1.29BGN 2.26
62.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.41GHS 4.82
$0.65BGN 1.14
-36.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$10.18BGN 17.81
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.19GHS 13.96
$1.50BGN 2.63
-20.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$28.8KBGN 50.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$21.5KBGN 37.5K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$78.2GHS 917
$91.4BGN 160
-14.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.22GHS 179
$14.68BGN 25.68
3.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.5GHS 968
$12.07BGN 21.12
583.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$24.06GHS 282
$32.28BGN 56.5
-25.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$8.60BGN 15.05
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.80GHS 103
$5.63BGN 9.86
56.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$174GHS 2,046
$228BGN 400
-23.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,544GHS 29.8K
$2,311BGN 4,045
10.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.07GHS 153
$30.48BGN 53.3
-57.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.40GHS 181
$19.01BGN 33.26
-18.99%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$42.37GHS 497
$45.53BGN 79.7
-6.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.20GHS 378
$48.67BGN 85.2
-33.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tema
Bansko
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$126GHS 1,483
$521BGN 913
-75.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$71.3GHS 836
$367BGN 643
-80.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$426GHS 4,999
$634BGN 1,110
-32.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$209GHS 2,451
$558BGN 976
-62.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,909GHS 116.2K
$1,204BGN 2,106
723.37%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,903GHS 69.2K
$971BGN 1,699
507.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tema
Bansko
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$419GHS 4,913
$1,670BGN 2,923
-74.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
35
2.99
1070.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tema: October 4, 2026
Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tema
$216 28.9%
Bansko
$193 20% ↓ 10.4%$22
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
$176 23.6%
Bansko
$118 12.2% ↓ 32.8%$58
🍽Eating Out
Tema
$143 * 19.2%
Bansko
$145 15% ↑ 1.5%$2.1
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tema
$71 9.6%
Bansko
$367 38% ↑ 415%$296
🚌Getting Around
Tema
$52 7%
Bansko
$35 3.6% ↓ 33%$17
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tema
$46 6.2%
Bansko
$65 6.7% ↑ 39.4%$18
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tema
$42 5.6%
Bansko
$44 4.5% ↑ 4.6%$1.9
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tema
$496 30.6%
Bansko
$454 22.9% ↓ 8.5%$42
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tema
$191 11.8%
Bansko
$133 6.7% ↓ 30.5%$58
🍽Eating Out
Tema
$431 * 26.6%
Bansko
$524 26.5% ↑ 21.6%$93
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tema
$209 12.9%
Bansko
$558 28.2% ↑ 167%$349
🚌Getting Around
Tema
$107 6.6%
Bansko
$71 3.6% ↓ 33.5%$36
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tema
$103 6.4%
Bansko
$144 7.3% ↑ 39.4%$41
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tema
$83 * 5.1%
Bansko
$96 4.8% ↑ 14.9%$12
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Tema versus $521 in Bansko. 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 299% higher in Bansko, 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 $28.00 in Tema versus $47.00 in Bansko. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Tema vs $193 in Bansko – so Bansko wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Tema vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tema and in Bansko compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $738 in Tema, $970 in Bansko – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Tema compared to Bansko?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,107 per month in Tema and $1,455 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tema and Bansko?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Tema and $47.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tema or Bansko?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $738 in Tema and $970 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 31%.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $738, than in Bansko at $970. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tema and Bansko?
It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $738 in Tema to $970 in Bansko. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tema or Bansko 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 Tema and Bansko?
If budget matters most, go with Tema. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.