Cost of living in Bulgaria
Summary of cost of living in Bulgaria
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 4,357 лв
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 1,752 лв
- Bulgaria is the 3rd cheapest country in Eastern Europe (8 out of 10)
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 81% of countries in the World (57 out of 70)
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| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 18 лв | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 12 лв | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 7 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 2.79 лв | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 5.46 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 3.95 лв | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 9 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2.07 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 1.70 лв | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 1.59 лв | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 20 лв | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 2.74 лв | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 1.08 лв | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 1,126 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 699 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 214 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 769 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 548 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 128 лв | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 19 лв | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 536 лв | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 248 лв | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 28 лв | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 10 лв | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 126 лв | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 56 лв | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 145 лв | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 139 лв | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 38,441 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 2.81 лв | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 51 лв | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 13 лв | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 17 лв | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 41 лв | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 8 лв | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 5.14 лв | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 9 лв | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 3.54 лв | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 5.43 лв | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 20 лв | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 40 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 24 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 66 лв | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 97 лв | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 13 лв | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 3.82 лв | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 3.96 лв | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 1,400 лв | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.45 лв | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 59 лв | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 5.84 лв | ||
Moving to Bulgaria with your children?
International Schools in Bulgaria
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.
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
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- Cost of living in Plovdiv is 57% cheaper than in Cambridge
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- Cost of living in Sofia is 60% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Sofia is 24% cheaper than in Athens
- Cost of living in Sofia is 36% more expensive than in Trujillo
- Cost of living in Sofia is 18% more expensive than in Ningbo
- Cost of living in Burgas is 72% cheaper than in Bern
- Cost of living in Sofia is 7% cheaper than in Tbilisi
- Cost of living in Sofia is 5% more expensive than in Bucharest
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 kg of tomatoes in Sofia costs 6.00 лв (4 days ago)
- 6 eggs, large in Sofia costs 8 лв (4 days ago)
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Sofia costs 4.00 лв (4 days ago)
- 1 kg of boneless chicken breast in Sofia costs 9 лв (4 days ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Sliven costs 6.00 лв (8 days ago)
- 1 month of gym membership in business district in Sliven costs 35 лв (8 days ago)
- 500 ml beer in neighbourhood pub in Sliven costs 3.50 лв (8 days ago)
- Cappuccino in expat area of the city in Sliven costs 3.00 лв (8 days ago)
- Cocktail drink in downtown club in Sliven costs 10 лв (8 days ago)
- Nice dinner at an italian restaurant, dinner for two in Sliven costs 200 лв (8 days ago)