Cost of living in Bulgaria
Summary of cost of living in Bulgaria
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 3,674 лв
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 1,519 лв
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 71% of countries in Eastern Europe (12 out of 17)
- Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 74% of countries in the World (67 out of 90)
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| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 13 лв | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 8 лв | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 5.51 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 2.09 лв | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 3.78 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 2.74 лв | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 5.67 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2.27 лв | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 1.43 лв | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 1.21 лв | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 13 лв | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 2.26 лв | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 0.87 лв | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 971 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 664 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 185 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 679 лв | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 530 лв | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 116 лв | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 19 лв | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 614 лв | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 172 лв | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 18 лв | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 12 лв | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 96 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) | 153 лв | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 127 лв | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 38,419 лв | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 2.28 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) | 20 лв | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 34 лв | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 8 лв | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 4.38 лв | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 5.09 лв | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 2.52 лв | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 3.36 лв | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 11 лв | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 38 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 23 лв | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 43 лв | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 66 лв | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 9 лв | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 3.36 лв | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 3.04 лв | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 961 лв | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.30 лв | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 49 лв | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 5.70 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 | 87 |
| 2nd | Vratsa | 85 |
| 3rd | Varna | 80 |
| 4th | Plovdiv | 74 |
| 5th | Burgas | 73 |
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 6% cheaper than in Lima
- Cost of living in Rousse is 7% cheaper than in Veszprém
- Cost of living in Sliven is 31% cheaper than in Sofia
- Cost of living in Varna is about the same as in Cancún
- Cost of living in Burgas is 8% cheaper than in Varna
- Cost of living in Sofia is 20% cheaper than in Vilnius
- Cost of living in Sofia is 47% cheaper than in Grand Rapids
- Cost of living in Sofia is 67% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Sofia is 26% cheaper than in Seville
- Cost of living in Varna is 13% cheaper than in Poznan
- Cost of living in Varna is 47% cheaper than in Antwerp
- Cost of living in Sofia is 8% cheaper than in Kuala Lumpur
- Cost of living in Sofia is 13% more expensive than in Cancún
- Cost of living in Varna is 42% cheaper than in Metz
- Cost of living in Varna is 18% cheaper than in Budapest
- Cost of living in Sofia is 9% more expensive than in Istanbul
- Cost of living in Varna is 20% more expensive than in Kolkata
- Cost of living in Varna is 47% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Sofia is 61% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Varna is 63% cheaper than in Los Angeles, California
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 liter of gasoline in Sliven costs 2.20 лв (3 days ago)
- Summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) in Sofia costs 40 лв (4 days ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Sofia costs 35 лв (4 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in normal area in Sofia costs 650 лв (4 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Sofia costs 750 лв (4 days ago)
- 2 liters of coca-cola in Sofia costs 2.00 лв (4 days ago)
- 500 ml domestic beer in the supermarket in Sofia costs 1.10 лв (4 days ago)
- 1 kg of local cheese in Sofia costs 7 лв (4 days ago)
- 1 kg of tomatoes in Sofia costs 3.00 лв (4 days ago)
- Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) in Sofia costs 6.00 лв (4 days ago)