Cost of living in Bulgaria
Summary of cost of living in Bulgaria
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 4,712 лв
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 1,933 лв
- Bulgaria is the 4th cheapest country in Eastern Europe (7 out of 10)
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 76% of countries in the World (50 out of 66)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 18 лв | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 14 лв | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 8 лв | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 3.13 лв | ||
12 eggs, large | 7 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 4.32 лв | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 10 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2.39 лв | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 2.04 лв | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 1.88 лв | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 15 лв | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | 2.76 лв | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 1.32 лв | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 1,227 лв | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 846 лв | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 256 лв | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 829 лв | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 571 лв | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 160 лв | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 19 лв | ||
40” flat screen tv | 688 лв | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 197 лв | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 18 лв | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | 37 лв | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 95 лв | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 59 лв | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 163 лв | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 118 лв | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 43,506 лв | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 2.69 лв | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 46 лв | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 14 лв | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 25 лв | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 208 лв | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 7 лв | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 5.60 лв | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 6 лв | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 3.96 лв | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 3.26 лв | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 19 лв | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 42 лв | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 21 лв | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 42 лв | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 70 лв | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 12 лв | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 4.68 лв | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 3.71 лв | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 1,539 лв | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.33 лв | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 46 лв | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 8 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 | 74 |
2nd | Plovdiv | 55 |
3rd | Burgas | 54 |
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 Plovdiv is 18% cheaper than in Córdoba
- Cost of living in Sofia is 32% cheaper than in Madrid
- Cost of living in Burgas is 72% cheaper than in Oakland, California
- Cost of living in Plovdiv is 19% more expensive than in Jambi
- Cost of living in Burgas is 5% cheaper than in Si Racha
- Cost of living in Plovdiv is 32% cheaper than in Salamanca
- Cost of living in Plovdiv is 48% cheaper than in Dortmund
- Cost of living in Sofia is 56% cheaper than in Seattle, Washington
- Cost of living in Sofia is 32% cheaper than in Malmo
- Cost of living in Plovdiv is 77% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Sofia is 14% cheaper than in Zapopan
- Cost of living in Sofia is 32% cheaper than in Hanover
- Cost of living in Sofia is 44% cheaper than in Munich
- Cost of living in Sofia is 49% cheaper than in Boise, Idaho
- Cost of living in Sofia is 31% cheaper than in Barcelona, Spain
- Cost of living in Sofia is 42% cheaper than in Frankfurt am Main
- Cost of living in Sofia is about the same as in Jerez de la Frontera
- Cost of living in Sofia is 136% more expensive than in Ul'yanovsk
- Cost of living in Burgas is 41% cheaper than in Zaragoza
- Cost of living in Sofia is 33% cheaper than in Kitchener-Waterloo
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 kg of rice in Sofia costs 4.00 лв (3 days ago)
- Bread for 2 people for 1 day (250 g) in Sofia costs 1.00 лв (3 days ago)
- 1 kg of potatoes in Sofia costs 3.00 лв (3 days ago)
- 1 kg of tomatoes in Sofia costs 3.00 лв (3 days ago)
- 6 eggs, large in Sofia costs 12 лв (3 days ago)
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Sofia costs 3.00 лв (3 days ago)
- 500 g of boneless chicken breast in Sofia costs 12 лв (3 days ago)
- Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) in Sofia costs 5.00 лв (3 days ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in Sofia costs 5.00 лв (3 days ago)
- 1 pack of marlboro cigarettes in Burgas costs 7 лв (6 days ago)