Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and Bulgaria

Name: Bulgaria
Address: BG

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulgaria: $1,159 a month against $2,727 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Bulgaria
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Bulgaria Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,159

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in Bulgaria

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,727 in the United States versus $1,159 in Bulgaria.

United States $2,727
Bulgaria $1,159

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,009 in the United States versus $1,775 in Bulgaria.

United States $4,009
Bulgaria $1,775

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,291 in the United States versus $2,390 in Bulgaria.

United States $5,291
Bulgaria $2,390

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $977 to $5,215, compared to $554–$1,600 in Bulgaria. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the United States is roughly 135% more expensive than in Bulgaria on average.

The United States (101% above) and Bulgaria (14% below) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$11.41 BGN 19.86

72.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$45.05 BGN 78.4

79.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$10.38 BGN 18.06

15.41%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$2.58 BGN 4.49

116.67%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.62 BGN 2.81

71.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.23 BGN 2.14

70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.25 BGN 3.91

165.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$3.34 BGN 5.81

137.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.83 BGN 3.18

-43.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.18 BGN 2.05

217.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.26 BGN 3.93

97.35%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.44 BGN 5.98

26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$10.15 BGN 17.67

25.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$7.99 BGN 13.91

53.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$13.01 BGN 22.63

32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.70 BGN 2.96

212.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.01 BGN 3.50

-16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.83 BGN 3.19

136.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.67 BGN 4.65

88.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.06 BGN 1.84

165.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.03 BGN 1.79

196.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.06 BGN 1.85

109.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.71 BGN 1.24

230.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.92 $10.92

$3.80 BGN 6.62

187.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$6.68 BGN 11.63

122.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.07 BGN 1.86

96.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.76 BGN 3.06

105.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.87 BGN 1.52

182.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$27.69 BGN 48.18

137.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.52 BGN 2.64

135.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.73 BGN 1.27

160.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.51 $29.51

$12.25 BGN 21.31

140.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.61 BGN 2.79

-36.65%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

-6.15%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.5K BGN 42.7K

5.85%

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

$221 $221

$126 BGN 220

75.01%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$18.70 BGN 32.54

227.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$14.05 BGN 24.44

421.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 $44.89

$33.65 BGN 58.6

33.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.65 $22.65

$18.06 BGN 31.43

25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.16 $15.16

$8.53 BGN 14.85

77.73%

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

$1,471 $1,471

$567 BGN 986

159.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$9,482 BGN 16.5K

163.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$58.4 BGN 102

-8.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.76 $43.76

$33.29 BGN 57.9

31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 $92.0

$90.4 BGN 157

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$89.7 BGN 156

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 $1,654

$478 BGN 832

245.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 $1,332

$364 BGN 633

266.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,669 $2,669

$781 BGN 1,359

241.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$579 BGN 1,007

281.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,054 $3,054

$2,178 BGN 3,791

40.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,522 $2,522

$1,601 BGN 2,785

57.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

$1,129 BGN 1,965

288.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

3.16

107.28%

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

Last update for the United States: October 18, 2026

Last update for Bulgaria: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 48.9%

Bulgaria

$364 31.4% 72.7% $968

Groceries & Markets

United States

$413 15.1%

Bulgaria

$244 21% 40.9% $169

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

Bulgaria

$159 13.7% 55.3% $196

Eating Out

United States

$326 12%

Bulgaria

$183 15.8% 44% $143

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

Bulgaria

$122 10.6% 10.5% $14

Getting Around

United States

$89 3.3%

Bulgaria

$36 3.1% 59% $52

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$75 2.8%

Bulgaria

$51 4.4% 32.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,612 in the United States, $328 in Bulgaria. Capital cities: $2,743 in Washington, DC vs $770 in Sofia.

National salary averages: $4,548 in the United States, $1,044 in Bulgaria. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 391% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 92% more in the United States.

Public transport is 23% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are 336% higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

🕒 Local time

06:36 6:36 AM

13:36 1:36 PM

7 h ahead of the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

6,795,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

BGN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

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From you

United States
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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

United States vs Bulgaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,159 per month in Bulgaria and $2,727 in the United States, there's a 135% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in Bulgaria: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,612 in the United States and $328 in Bulgaria. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Bulgaria, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Bulgaria wins on affordability; the United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.