Cost of living in Bulgaria
Summary of cost of living in Bulgaria
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 3,434 лв
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 1,415 лв
- Bulgaria is the 3rd cheapest country in Eastern Europe (10 out of 12)
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 81% of countries in the World (61 out of 75)
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| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 11 лв | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 8 лв | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 5.53 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 2.11 лв | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 3.83 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 3.02 лв | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 6 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2.20 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 1.24 лв | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 1.28 лв | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 10 лв | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 2.43 лв | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 0.77 лв | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 848 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 656 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 190 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 581 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 494 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 142 лв | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 13 лв | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 538 лв | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 156 лв | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 17 лв | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 14 лв | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 93 лв | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 53 лв | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 126 лв | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 129 лв | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 40,092 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 1.90 лв | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 49 лв | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 8 лв | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 13 лв | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 26 лв | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 9 лв | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 4.12 лв | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 4.83 лв | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 2.21 лв | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 2.80 лв | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 11 лв | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 40 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 23 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 55 лв | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 67 лв | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 10 лв | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 4.00 лв | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 3.09 лв | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 874 лв | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.23 лв | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 39 лв | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 5.61 лв | ||
Map of Cost of Living in Bulgaria
This map shows only the top cities in Bulgaria. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Bulgaria
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sofia | 80 |
| 2nd | Vratsa | 80 |
| 3rd | Varna | 75 |
| 4th | Burgas | 69 |
| 5th | Plovdiv | 69 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Bulgaria? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Bulgaria of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Sofia is 41% cheaper than in Belfast
- Cost of living in Burgas is 8% cheaper than in Varna
- Cost of living in Burgas is about the same as in Burgas
- Cost of living in Sofia is 46% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Veliko Tarnovo is 28% more expensive than in Odessa
- Cost of living in Sofia is 21% cheaper than in Prague
- Cost of living in Sofia is 48% cheaper than in Gothenburg
- Cost of living in Sofia is 8% cheaper than in Belgrade
- Cost of living in Bansko is 32% cheaper than in Copenhagen
- Cost of living in Sofia is 26% cheaper than in Riga
- Cost of living in Sofia is 43% cheaper than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Stara Zagora is 50% cheaper than in New Haven, Connecticut
- Cost of living in Sofia is 37% cheaper than in Greenville, South Carolina
- Cost of living in Sofia is 19% cheaper than in Santiago
- Cost of living in Sofia is 43% cheaper than in Palma de Mallorca
- Cost of living in Sofia is 4% cheaper than in Mexico City
- Cost of living in Sofia is 16% more expensive than in Plovdiv
- Cost of living in Sofia is 24% cheaper than in Montevideo
- Cost of living in Varna is 14% cheaper than in Quito
- Cost of living in Sofia is 28% cheaper than in Oporto
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 500 g of boneless chicken breast in Sofia costs 8 лв (3 days ago)
- Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) in Sofia costs 8 лв (3 days ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Sofia costs 15 лв (3 days ago)
- Summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) in Sofia costs 70 лв (3 days ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Varna costs 35 лв (10 days ago)
- Hourly rate for domestic cleaning help in Varna costs 10 лв (10 days ago)
- 40′ flat screen tv in Varna costs 650 лв (10 days ago)
- Internet 8 mbps, 1 month in Varna costs 12 лв (10 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in normal area in Varna costs 300 лв (10 days ago)
- Utilities, monthly for 2 people in 85 m2 in Varna costs 200 лв (10 days ago)