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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $945 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,079 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,499 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,702 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,053 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $2,325 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Veliko Tarnovo is about 12% cheaper than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Veliko Tarnovo and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Veliko Tarnovo 30% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 BGN 16.95

$8.83 BGN 14.69

15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.79 BGN 69.5

$47.68 BGN 79.3

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 BGN 14.70

$8.74 BGN 14.54

1.14%

Cappuccino

$1.94 BGN 3.22

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-20.82%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.29

$1.50 BGN 2.49

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.17

$0.85 BGN 1.41

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 BGN 3.14

$3.02 BGN 5.02

-37.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.02

$2.92 BGN 4.86

3.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.82

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-6.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 BGN 1.49

$1.01 BGN 1.69

-11.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.28

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-6.19%

Eggs

$3.43 BGN 5.71

$3.41 BGN 5.67

0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 BGN 15.51

$11.58 BGN 19.27

-19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 BGN 13.46

$7.71 BGN 12.82

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 BGN 19.49

$12.19 BGN 20.28

-3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.58 BGN 2.63

4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BGN 3.52

$1.76 BGN 2.93

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.42

$1.62 BGN 2.69

27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.05

$2.43 BGN 4.05

0.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$0.98 BGN 1.63

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 BGN 2.25

$1.15 BGN 1.92

18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.09 BGN 1.82

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.29

$0.82 BGN 1.36

-4.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.06

$3.48 BGN 5.78

4.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 BGN 10.97

$5.94 BGN 9.89

10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 BGN 1.58

$1.07 BGN 1.79

-11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$1.80 BGN 2.99

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.44

$0.60 BGN 1.00

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.28 BGN 55.4

$28.43 BGN 47.30

17.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.04

$0.64 BGN 1.07

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.73 BGN 19.51

$10.74 BGN 17.87

9.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.59 BGN 2.65

-6.29%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

0.48%

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

$26.0K BGN 43.3K

$28.5K BGN 47.5K

-8.88%

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

$93.4 BGN 155

$94.3 BGN 157

-1.01%

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

$16.43 BGN 27.33

$18.13 BGN 30.17

-9.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.12 BGN 21.83

$15.02 BGN 24.99

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.72 BGN 57.8

$37.21 BGN 61.9

-6.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.98 BGN 36.56

$14.90 BGN 24.78

47.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 BGN 12.08

$8.89 BGN 14.79

-18.34%

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

$238 BGN 396

$416 BGN 692

-42.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,074 BGN 6,778

$7,099 BGN 11.8K

-42.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.00 BGN 73.2

$60.4 BGN 100

-27.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.06 BGN 48.34

$35.87 BGN 59.7

-18.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 BGN 138

$100 BGN 167

-17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 BGN 120

$107 BGN 177

-32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 BGN 603

$471 BGN 784

-23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 BGN 425

$335 BGN 557

-23.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 BGN 955

$835 BGN 1,390

-31.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 BGN 714

$612 BGN 1,018

-29.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,505 BGN 4,168

$2,324 BGN 3,866

7.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,412 BGN 2,348

$1,559 BGN 2,593

-9.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 BGN 1,572

$1,160 BGN 1,930

-18.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

4.49

1.78%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: June 9, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $362 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $471 in Plovdiv. 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 23% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $42.00 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $48.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $237 – making Veliko Tarnovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $945 in Veliko Tarnovo, $1,079 in Plovdiv – roughly 14% apart. Plovdiv costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Veliko Tarnovo and $1,619 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $238 per month in Veliko Tarnovo and $416 in Plovdiv. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Plovdiv at $1,079. In Veliko Tarnovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Plovdiv has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $945 in Veliko Tarnovo to $1,079 in Plovdiv. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Veliko Tarnovo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.