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)
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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) 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

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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.

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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)

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