Cost of living in Bulgaria
Summary of cost of living in Bulgaria
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 5,119 лв
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 2,152 лв
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 62% of countries in Eastern Europe (8 out of 13)
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 69% of countries in the World (42 out of 61)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 17 лв | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 16 лв | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 8 лв | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 3.37 лв | ||
12 eggs, large | 8 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 4.10 лв | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 10 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2.86 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 2.13 лв | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 2.09 лв | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 21 лв | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | 3.12 лв | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 1.08 лв | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 1,427 лв | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 943 лв | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 235 лв | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 794 лв | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 713 лв | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 174 лв | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 19 лв | ||
40” flat screen tv | 583 лв | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 193 лв | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 25 лв | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 27 лв | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 110 лв | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 72 лв | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 190 лв | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 172 лв | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 51,609 лв | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 2.66 лв | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 47 лв | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 13 лв | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 24 лв | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 98 лв | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 7 лв | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 5.90 лв | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 8 лв | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 4.08 лв | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 3.73 лв | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 25 лв | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 55 лв | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 30 лв | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 50 лв | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 132 лв | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 14 лв | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 5.73 лв | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 5.04 лв | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 1,897 лв | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.33 лв | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 76 лв | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 7 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.
Cost of Living Ranking in Bulgaria
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Sofia | 79 |
2nd | Plovdiv | 58 |
3rd | Burgas | 56 |
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 77% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Sofia is 5% cheaper than in Tours
- Cost of living in Burgas is 11% cheaper than in Tangier
- Cost of living in Sofia is 35% cheaper than in San Luis
- Cost of living in Sofia is 83% more expensive than in Kalyan
- Cost of living in Sofia is 48% more expensive than in Yakutsk
- Cost of living in Sofia is about the same as in Saltillo
- Cost of living in Sofia is 25% more expensive than in Lobito
- Cost of living in Sofia is 33% more expensive than in Bangalore
- Cost of living in Sofia is 199% more expensive than in Moulvi Bazar
- Cost of living in Sofia is about the same as in Rio de Janeiro
- Cost of living in Sofia is 789% more expensive than in Concordia
- Cost of living in Sofia is 57% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Gabrovo is 21% more expensive than in Makurdi
- Cost of living in Sofia is 36% cheaper than in Perth, Scotland
- Cost of living in Sofia is 10% more expensive than in São José dos Campos
- Cost of living in Sofia is 102% more expensive than in Río Cuarto
- Cost of living in Sofia is 18% cheaper than in Silkeborg
- Cost of living in Sofia is about the same as in Lima
- Cost of living in Sofia is 43% cheaper than in Norwich
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 liter of gasoline in Sofia costs 2.70 лв (5 days ago)