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: $1,070 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,686 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,302 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Veliko Tarnovo costs roughly 54% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Veliko Tarnovo is 22% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.80 BGN 19.62

$17.30 €14.87

-31.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.39 BGN 80.5

$63.3 €54.4

-23.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 BGN 16.99

$11.39 €9.79

-10.36%

Cappuccino

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$3.19 €2.74

-35.42%

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

$1.33 BGN 2.22

$2.45 €2.10

-45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.76 €1.52

-38.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$3.59 €3.09

-49.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 BGN 5.06

$3.39 €2.92

-10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BGN 3.30

$1.24 €1.06

59.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 BGN 1.74

$1.98 €1.71

-47.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$1.52 €1.31

80.26%

Eggs

$3.43 BGN 5.71

$4.04 €3.47

-15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 BGN 18.07

$13.54 €11.64

-19.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 BGN 14.05

$8.39 €7.21

0.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BGN 22.03

$18.25 €15.69

-27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.79

$2.29 €1.97

-26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.36

$1.74 €1.50

16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.86 €1.60

9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$2.63 €2.26

4.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$1.92 €1.65

-41.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 BGN 2.07

$2.09 €1.80

-40.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.44 €1.24

-27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.84 €0.72

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 BGN 6.83

$6.78 €5.83

-39.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 BGN 11.18

$5.71 €4.91

17.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.38 €1.18

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.85

$2.22 €1.91

-22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$2.40 €2.06

-62.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.67 BGN 39.37

$46.78 €40.22

-49.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$4.17 €3.59

-70.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 BGN 1.20

$1.14 €0.98

-36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.05 BGN 20.04

$17.68 €15.20

-31.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BGN 2.52

$2.32 €2.00

-34.48%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$35.3K €30.4K

-10.38%

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

$31.8K BGN 53.0K

$41.4K €35.6K

-23.19%

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

$107 BGN 179

$170 €146

-36.94%

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

$19.33 BGN 32.16

$19.34 €16.62

-0.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.59 BGN 24.27

$33.64 €28.92

-56.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 BGN 51.6

$48.10 €41.35

-35.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.21 BGN 35.28

$19.90 €17.11

6.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 BGN 12.21

$9.92 €8.53

-26.01%

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

$717 €617

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 BGN 82.0

$105 €90.1

-52.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 BGN 53.6

$46.95 €40.36

-31.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 BGN 213

$103 €88.9

23.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BGN 165

$124 €107

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 BGN 608

$1,677 €1,441

-78.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 BGN 452

$1,271 €1,093

-78.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 987

$2,985 €2,566

-80.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 BGN 729

$1,992 €1,713

-78.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,510 BGN 4,176

$7,826 €6,728

-67.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 BGN 2,305

$4,658 €4,004

-70.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$953 BGN 1,586

$1,583 €1,361

-39.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.18

3.79

-16.09%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Veliko Tarnovo and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 66% 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: $48.00 in Veliko Tarnovo vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $283 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 116% in total monthly costs ($1,070 vs $2,316 including rent). Veliko Tarnovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Lisbon. 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: $365 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,070 per month in Veliko Tarnovo versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,070 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $2,316 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 116% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.