Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,535 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Veliko Tarnovo costs roughly 57% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Veliko Tarnovo is 29% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.28 BGN 17.10

$15.91 €13.69

-35.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.04 BGN 68.3

$64.8 €55.7

-36.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.60

$10.51 €9.04

-16.56%

Cappuccino

$1.89 BGN 3.14

$2.87 €2.47

-34.15%

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

$1.37 BGN 2.27

$2.24 €1.93

-38.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 BGN 1.11

$1.50 €1.29

-55.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 BGN 3.26

$3.49 €3.00

-43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 BGN 4.78

$3.88 €3.34

-26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 BGN 2.70

$1.14 €0.98

42.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BGN 1.59

$1.75 €1.51

-45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.76 €1.51

6.25%

Eggs

$3.39 BGN 5.64

$3.22 €2.77

5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 BGN 15.99

$13.49 €11.61

-28.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 BGN 13.38

$7.91 €6.81

1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$15.87 €13.65

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 BGN 2.73

$2.31 €1.99

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 BGN 3.50

$1.70 €1.46

24.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.28

$2.01 €1.73

-1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 BGN 4.25

$2.46 €2.12

4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.84 €1.59

-38.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.16

$2.00 €1.72

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.93 €1.66

-45.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.29

$0.79 €0.68

-2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 BGN 5.92

$6.61 €5.68

-46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.96 BGN 11.59

$5.72 €4.92

21.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 BGN 1.59

$1.37 €1.17

-29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$2.97 €2.56

-43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.49

$2.37 €2.04

-62.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.54 BGN 55.8

$45.56 €39.19

-26.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 BGN 1.95

$4.29 €3.69

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 BGN 1.05

$0.82 €0.70

-23.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$18.30 €15.74

-36.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.47

$2.06 €1.78

-27.67%

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

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

$34.3K €29.5K

-4.48%

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

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

$39.3K €33.8K

-34.32%

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

$93.7 BGN 156

$148 €127

-36.65%

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

$16.56 BGN 27.56

$20.52 €17.65

-19.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.12 BGN 21.83

$39.61 €34.08

-66.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.02 BGN 59.9

$47.85 €41.16

-24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.08 BGN 36.73

$18.92 €16.28

16.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BGN 11.54

$9.18 €7.90

-24.40%

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

$232 BGN 386

$614 €528

-62.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,137 BGN 6,882

$16.0K €13.8K

-74.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.02 BGN 74.9

$105 €90.0

-56.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.43 BGN 48.96

$42.06 €36.18

-30.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 BGN 138

$94.0 €80.8

-11.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 BGN 117

$120 €103

-41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 BGN 600

$1,628 €1,400

-77.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 BGN 434

$1,255 €1,080

-79.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 BGN 952

$3,030 €2,607

-81.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 BGN 721

$2,020 €1,738

-78.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 BGN 4,157

$7,800 €6,709

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 BGN 2,320

$4,273 €3,675

-67.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$957 BGN 1,592

$1,603 €1,379

-40.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

3.81

19.95%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Veliko Tarnovo and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $269 per month, with Veliko Tarnovo cheaper across the board.

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

Veliko Tarnovo vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veliko Tarnovo and Lisbon differ by about 132% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $2,210 including rent). Veliko Tarnovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 68% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $232 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $614 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $952 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Veliko Tarnovo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Veliko Tarnovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Veliko Tarnovo and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Veliko Tarnovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.