Cost of living in Bulgaria

expat.com Your favourite team

8393POSTS

17 years ago

Hi everybody,

It would be very interesting to start a topic about the cost of living in Bulgaria. It would help a lot those who would like to move to Bulgaria.

Don't forget to mention where you are living

Let's compare the:

> accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to rent an accommodation in Bulgaria?)

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...)

> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance)

> eduction prices (if you need to pay)

> energy prices (oil, electricity)

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)

> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant

> prices of a beer and or a coffee in a regular pub

> price of the cinema

Did I forget something or is this list complete enough?

Thanks in advance for your participation!

See also

Become a digital nomad in Bulgaria - Guide
Cost of living in Bulgaria in 2025 - 69 Replies
Cost of living in Bulgaria in 2024 - 24 Replies
Cost of living in Bulgaria in 2022 - 46 Replies
Cost of living in Bulgaria - 3 Replies
Cost of Living in Bulgaria in 2021 - 9 Replies
Cost of Living in Bulgaria in 2020 - 2 Replies

expat.com Your favourite team

8393POSTS

17 years ago

sent by victoriaa in August 2007

I can tell you about Sofia, Bulgaria
Like most capital cities it is twice more expencive than other towns in Bulgaria. Its also overcrowded, but it has its charm.

> accommodation prices - 250EUR is the minimum you can pay for 45 sqm, not furnished. if you are looking for a furnished place it will cost you at least 300 EUR in a normal neighbourhood (not in the getho).

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...) - very cheap, 0.35 Eur is the ticket for the bus and the subway, taxi is cheaper than in germany and greece.

> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)- 150 EUR roughly

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance) one doctor visit is between 7 and 25 EUR
> eduction prices (if you need to pay) not that i know of

> energy prices (oil, electricity) electricity is like 10 EUR monthly , gasoline is 1,20 EUR/liter

> common bills Internet 10EUR broadband connection, television 10 EUR, telephone max 20EUR, mobile phone depend on how much u talk..tongue but i would say 40 EUR will do.
> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant --- a dinner for 2 pers. 50 EUR with a good wine 25 EUR without the wine, but you can have a nice meal for 10 15 EUR in most of the places.

> prices of a beer and of a coffee in a regular pub - beer is 1EUR coffee too.

clothes are cheap in Bulgaria. Well it also depends on where you shop, but basically a pair of good shoes is between 25 and 50 EUR, and a pair of jeans is around the same price

absent Active member

33POSTS

16 years ago

Just want to add some everyday prices

1 EURO equals 1,95 Leva. For simplier divide bulgarian prices with "2" to get the price in EURO.

GROCERIES

Bottle (0,7) of Red Label: 25 Leva
Bottle (0,7) of Black Label: 48 Leva
Bottle of Heineken (0,3 imported): 1,50 Leva
Bottle of Heineken (0,5): 1,30 Leva
Bottle of local beer (2,0): 2 Leva
Pack of Marlboro Lights (20 cigarettes): 4 Leva
Coca Cola (2,0): 2 Leva
Potatoes (1KG): 0,80 Leva
Coffee Lavazza Rosso (500g): 15 Leva
Coffee local (500g): 5 Leva (tastes like..)
Bottle imported white wine: 20-120lv
Bottle local white wine: 10-30lv (buy TELISH)

GOING OUT
(if you hang out with foreign people twice the price**)
50ml Whiskey: 3-7lv, depends on the location
1 beer: 1-7 leva (depends on the beer and location)
Dinner for two at a middle class restaurant: 40 leva
Dinner for two at a high class restaurant: 120lv (including wine)
Entry to sofias best discos: 2-20lv (depends if a foreign DJ is there)
A bottle (0,7) of Red Label in a disco/bar: 70-120lv
Coffe with milk: 1,50 - 3,50lv (at some places for foreigners 5Lv and up)

** About 60% of all hotels, discos, bars and restaurants charge foreign people twice the real price. It's a common practise here in Bulgaria. Watch out, if possible let a bulgarian talk to the waiter.

If you need more information drop me a line

mac1234 Member

1POSTS

15 years ago

Hi evrybody
Hear you can finde a lot examples of prices in Bulgaria pricesin.net/blog1.php/2010/05/25/prices-in-bulgaria

Julien Founder

53148POSTS

15 years ago

Any update regarding the cost of living in Bulgaria ?

vicamilleri Active member

25POSTS

15 years ago

Life in Bulgaria seems to be very cheap in compare with the other european countries.

polinaminkova Member

3POSTS

15 years ago

vicamilleri wrote:
Life in Bulgaria seems to be very cheap in compare with the other european countries.

But Bulgarians are working for a quarter of the minimum European salary... Often even less than 250 EUR... per person/per mount!
It is even funny - who can live with the amount of 800-1000 BGN, in case his/her salary is 500 bgn!? - the answer: always have some borrowed money from some friend or relative.., and lots of credits...
Moreover, it is not so cheap.., cause there are lots of products, so expensive, more then the same in other EU country, or at least the same price.., in such a budget as the BG wage is..!? Do you know how much costs the fuel? ... property's prices are so close to the other eu property's prices... etc... We are heroes!

WorldExpat Serial expat

209POSTS

15 years ago

I would say that the things one would find reasonable less expensive in Bulgarian compared to other EU countries, would be tax, car insurance and car tax, rent, eating out and few groceries, household services, such as cleaning or handy man repairs.

However, when it comes to cost of general groceries, I would say that it comes close, if not even a bit more expensive compared to France, Spain, Italy.

If you use only electric heating... for lets say around 50m2 apartment expect to pay no less than 150/month during the cold months. Mobile phone cost is just about the same for a contract of a 12 months, however, for a pay as you go card it would be much, much more expensive.

Taxi service is much less, however, only if you get into the right cab. Some will rip you off. Public transport is less expensive as well.

Clothing I would say is the same or even more expensive compared to other EU countries.

If you compare some smaller cities and villages, well... sure, most things are much less expensive, but still electricity, phone and transport would be the same.

Getting income to support yourself... PRICELESS, hard to come by finding positions paying reasonable salary.

Nickolas Member

3POSTS

15 years ago

what would be a reasonable salary for a management position? or an entry level? moving to bulgaria and need to find out more on that...any news?

Guest34 Guest

0POSTS

15 years ago

#10

thanks for the information...

simbol Member

12POSTS

15 years ago

#11

This is a good idea ! especially for me who is thinking of buying a home in Bulgaria. I would love all this information...so good to know others are thinking about it too.

By the way , anyone know what it's like in Blagoevgrad ?
I want somewhere with mountains you see and it seems this region has lots... maybe all over Bulgaria ?

Any info please about living in Bulgaria... hope the people are friendly and don't bite !

Sazzefraz New member

9POSTS

15 years ago

#12

thank you so much for this information!

Noxvitae Member

1POSTS

14 years ago

#13

Hi

If you go to a restaurant and cafe or disco don't you have fixed pricelist ?

absent wrote:
Just want to add some everyday prices

1 EURO equals 1,95 Leva. For simplier divide bulgarian prices with "2" to get the price in EURO.

GROCERIES

Bottle (0,7) of Red Label: 25 Leva
Bottle (0,7) of Black Label: 48 Leva
Bottle of Heineken (0,3 imported): 1,50 Leva
Bottle of Heineken (0,5): 1,30 Leva
Bottle of local beer (2,0): 2 Leva
Pack of Marlboro Lights (20 cigarettes): 4 Leva
Coca Cola (2,0): 2 Leva
Potatoes (1KG): 0,80 Leva
Coffee Lavazza Rosso (500g): 15 Leva
Coffee local (500g): 5 Leva (tastes like..)
Bottle imported white wine: 20-120lv
Bottle local white wine: 10-30lv (buy TELISH)

GOING OUT
(if you hang out with foreign people twice the price**)
50ml Whiskey: 3-7lv, depends on the location
1 beer: 1-7 leva (depends on the beer and location)
Dinner for two at a middle class restaurant: 40 leva
Dinner for two at a high class restaurant: 120lv (including wine)
Entry to sofias best discos: 2-20lv (depends if a foreign DJ is there)
A bottle (0,7) of Red Label in a disco/bar: 70-120lv
Coffe with milk: 1,50 - 3,50lv (at some places for foreigners 5Lv and up)

** About 60% of all hotels, discos, bars and restaurants charge foreign people twice the real price. It's a common practise here in Bulgaria. Watch out, if possible let a bulgarian talk to the waiter.

If you need more information drop me a line

BulgarianPropertyExperts Member

10POSTS

14 years ago

#14

Hi

It really depends on what part of Bulgaria you live in.
We are inland, and in the countrside, and we have some of the cheapest prices for everyday living.

I live with my partner, and daughter, and here is an example of our monthly bills for the house.

Electric- 50-70 lev a month
water-10-30 lev
Cable internet- 12 lev
house phone and mobile phone- calling uk all the time and using it for business- 100-150 lev month.
Health insurance- 18.80 lev a person

Food is where most of the money goes, but we grow alot of our own veg in summer, and do compotes and preserves for the winter. Which helps to cut the costs down.

We can go out for a meal for the three of us, and we can all eat well, and drink enough. For around 20-30 lev for the three of us.

It is cheap to live, cheap to drink and cheap for bills. But I have been to varna, and bourgas and busier tourist parts of Bulgaria, and spent three or four times what i do in my area, on a beer.
So it really depends, on where you want to be, in Bulgaria.

Gemma

ronhill98 Contributor

101POSTS

14 years ago

#15

This is all good information for me as I'm thinking of moving to Bulgaria as my partner is Bulgarian though she's been away for 7 years. So! all advice, hints, tips etc are most welcome as I try to decide if I can live there on my works pension of around £7,000 per year

jeannie1 New member

7POSTS

13 years ago

#16

i want to move to bulgaria,or ?-female wanting to escape from america!46yrs old-blond hair,brown eyes,slim,athletic,is palefaces welcome there?!wanting to meet,chat with new people wanting new laid back peaceful life-i am very unmaterialistic,like older serious minded people-want friends males-females..ps is it very cold there in winter!?snow and stuff?

filip83 Member

2POSTS

13 years ago

#17

Hey , I'm Filip and I'm bulgarian. I live in the central north part of the country.So i'm starting:

1.If you want to rent a hotel room , the cheapest price is between 15 to 25 lv per person in a double room.
2.Public transport: the cheaper transportation is the train( not very comfortable in most cases).For example you can travel 50 km for 3-4 leva.The bus is 1-2 leva more expensive.
3.Food prices: almoust the same prices like in UK.
4.Medical insurance: for bulgarians it's around 18 leva per month, so probabli it should be the same for all of EU citizens.
5.Education prices: It's free for the highschools.The universities are paid and i thin they have a different prices for foreign citizens, but it's different for each one.9or the prices are different only for a non EU citizens)
6.Energy: the price of electric energy is around 0.15 leva per KW, petrol and diesel - around 2.70, LPG - 1.25.
7.Internet: 10-30 lv, TV- we dont have TV license here - around 20-30 lv per month is the fee of sattelite operators and local tv network suppliers.
8.Good menu in a restaurant: 20-30 lv per person or even cheaper
9.Beer: 1,50lv, coffee: 1,00lv, movie: 8-12 lv .

I hope this information to help you, Best regards, Filip!

charleybarley New member

2POSTS

13 years ago

#18

Im living near Veliko Tarnovo City in a small village, inland of Bulgaria, and find its very cheap compared to the UK!

With four people living in the house ... :

Genral food shopping varies, you need to set yourself a budget and stick to it per week/month, My family and i will go into a store planning only to buy water and bread and end up doing a 70lev shop! If you grow your own vegetables and food its alot cheaper. Local Village Bulgarians get by with very little money as they eat most of their meals from their garden and their live stock.

Electricity can be at times between 60-70 lev but in the winter it can get much higher due to having the heaters on alot, if you have air conditioning for the summer that can increase the price by quite a bit i think.

Water bills seem to be very cheap over here, inbetween 20-30lev a month maybe

TV package is around 15lev a month for about 100 channels I think, a few english channels too like HBO, MTV ect

When we go out for food, for four people it can usually cost around 30lev when were in our small local restaurant, for us all to have main meals, side orders, one or two drinks each, it depends on where you go but small local restaurants can be very cheap!Veliko Tarnovo city restaurants can vary between 40-50 lev if you decide to have a bit of a feast

local beer is very cheap, Zagorka is less than 2lev (Its less than a pound for a big bottle of beer!) and other Bulgarian brands can be extremely cheap..! Exported beers can be alot more but still better prices than in the UK.

jeannie1 New member

7POSTS

13 years ago

#19

thank you all-i am in usa not uk,i never even heard of a lev-$ befor!hate being stuck,trapped here though...

Gigi44 Member

17POSTS

13 years ago

#20

Hello Jeannie 1,

I am from Germany and I am living in Varna area Vinitsa. Vinitsa is a village and it is very nice. I do not have much money and I have 100 leva for my dog any my self for a week.

I can go out for dinner once a week depends if I want to cook for my self or not then I can go more often. Life is very great here in Bulgaria. I am living about 10 minutes by bus from the sea. The people are very friendly and many of them speaks german or english. I do not speak the bulgarian language yet, and I can go for shopping and even the doctor is talking english. I am on my own here and I have found some very kind friends, but still looking for friends. From Vinitsa a bus is going to Varna every 15 minutes. If you want to buy an apartment in Vinitsa are apartments to buy or rent. It is a good place to live.

beahor Active member

95POSTS

13 years ago

#21

Hi Jeannie1.
Bulgaria is a nice place to escape to. It has real winters and real summers too, not the wishy washy you get elsewhere in northern Europe.
And would you feel trapped?? Well, that depends on you really. But there are many nationalities here including Americans.
And as mentioned so many times, it is very reasonable here compared to elsewhere. And property can be cheap too especially outside the capital. It really has lots to offer when you look for it.
I am European too and happen to work here for American company but could well imagine staying on in a few years to retire and I don't have that many years to go.
If you want to know more just holler or send me a message.

SuzyJ Member

16POSTS

12 years ago

#22

Real winters? Oh yes we get them, some worse than others. And no winter in the last 5 years has been the same. Some years snowed in, others wearing shorts in January.

Bulgaria is a beautiful country but there are no real standards here - everything can change and you can have a metre of snow one day and 20 degrees c the next. Makes for an interesting life

ronhill98 Contributor

101POSTS

12 years ago

#23

Following my post above from last year I've now sold my UK house and moved to Bulgaria. We've bought a house in the village of Dragijivo about 12k from Veliko Tarnovo. We should move in the next week or 2 from our rented apartment in VT.
While I agree with the info posted here on the cost of living here what I didn't research was the cost of furnishing a new home. We brought no furniture with us from Scotland planning just to buy new stuff. But I'm very surprised at the cost of new furniture here we are finding it very expensive for decent quality furniture compared to UK prices and delivery can often take a month.

Paul36 Member

16POSTS

12 years ago

#24

If you want quality wood furniture I would suggest finding a local carpenter. Obviously you need to get references or see his work but I am sure it could work out cheaper

Otherwise there's an Ikea in Sofia

ayee Member

2POSTS

12 years ago

#25

I am looking at apartments in Sofia and there is quite a price range, starting from 140 till 400. I'm guessing it depends on the neighborhood, but could someone tell me which districts are good and which are bad?

Varnarama Active member

91POSTS

12 years ago

#26

Inflation in Bulgaria is now the lowest in Europe (-1.3%), compared to the UK (+2.7%).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article … bills.html

Gosho1991 Active member

39POSTS

12 years ago

#27

Hello everyone,
I am George and I live in Plovdiv - the second biggest town in Bulgaria(many will say Varna, but I say it's Plovdiv).

I read all of the comments above and I see many of you saying that the life here is cheap...trust me - it's not.Everyone here is struggling to get by the day and live to see another day.It's extremely hard and nobody is trying to change it, by ''nobody'' I mean nobody in the government.Our salaries are extremely low - average salary is 414$, which can get your familly throught the half of the month and after that you have to borrow money.

I can help you with whatever you need in Plovdiv, but just remember - it is not cheap to live in Bulgaria!!!

Good luck to everyone
Regards,
George

Lillianausa Active member

50POSTS

12 years ago

#28

The cost of living is relivent from where you come from, for us in the usa it is very cheap, yes something are the someprice, but daily living is very cheap, they say to live good in BG you need about 1000lv per person a month( correct me if wrong) that is about $675 that will last me about 5 day here in the US

kaminoge Active member

54POSTS

12 years ago

#29

I don't think anywhere is BAD. Some places are definitely more convenient but it really depends what you want. Do you want to be near the centre where you can easily get to a range of entertainment/restaurants etc? Are you happy to be a bit further out but want to be near a metro stop?

stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

12 years ago

#30

Try this website for cost of living www.numbeo.com It gives info for many countries and cities worldwide.

bubbleandsqueak Member

2POSTS

11 years ago

#31

hi I am also German born 67 years old I would love to come and see your part of Bulgaria do you know of any reasonable flats to rent for me and my wife hope you can help peter& sally

shinobidef Member

14POSTS

11 years ago

#32

Here's my cost of living for people interested in Varna

1 bed modern flat with security and shared pool on outskirts of city (Trakata) - EUR260
Water bill per month - BGN10
High speed unlimited wifi per month - BGN22
Electricity bill per month - BGN20
Large beer in mid range bar - BGN2-3
Bus into town BGN1 (one way - about 10-15 minutes)
1Kg chicken breast - BGN11
1L carton of milk - BGN1.90
Cheap bottle of wine from supermarket - BGN4
Jar of peanut butter BGN6
Jar of tahini BGN6
Carton of cous cous BGN4.30
Jar of pasta sauce BGN3-4.5
Pack of washed salad leaves BGN3.50
Lettuce BGN 1.30
20 Malboro BGN5
Mango BGN 1.90
100g bag of wilted rocket BGN2.50
500ml olive oil BGN8.50
1kg tub icecream BGN2.90
Nasty Dr Oetker frozen pizza! BGN4.30

The above are supermarket prices - the things that are definitely more expensive than I imagined are washed salad, pears, nuts, beef and lamb so we've been living off a pretty much chicken-only diet as I'm not mad about sausages which there are a LOT of! Electrical items seem to be pricey and the English books are around what you'd pay in the UK, if not a bit more.

Coming from London, I'm used to being able to pop in a pound shop for cleaning products, replacement glasses/cups and random accessories so our monthly shop does come to more than we'd budgeted for.

Varnarama Active member

91POSTS

11 years ago

#33

I don't know about others but I prefer (and find it sometimes easier and cheaper) to eat out in the restaurants every night.
In a standard Varna restaurant, 1 person can have a main course, soft drink and garlic bread for under £5.
For the budget conscious try Alba restaurant. Good food in big portions at remarkably low prices.