All You Wanted to Know About the Cost of Living in Bulgaria

The cost of living in Bulgaria is considerably lower than what you would get in the UK or Ireland. Bulgaria is one of the cheapest places to live in the European Union. If you are moving to Bulgaria, or just visiting as a tourist, you will find the information in this article useful.

Cost of Hotels  

Hotels in Bulgaria are quite cheap. The prices can vary from one hotel to another, but in general, most of the hotels here are inexpensive. Contact us to find out how much it would cost to stay in a high quality but reasonably priced hotel in Sarafovo such as the Irish-run Clara Hotel would cost.

Renting an Apartment

It would cost you £150/month to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in a Bulgarian town like Veliko Tarnovo, and £100/month to rent a 1-bedroom apartment. This is much less than what it would cost to rent an apartment in a comparable town in the UK such as Winchester - £820/month. A one-bedroom apartment in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, would cost €220/month.

 Cost of Food

Food in Bulgaria is quite cheap, and costs 40 percent less than in the UK. A loaf of bread costs £0.33, a pack of eggs costs £1.02, and 1 litre of regular milk costs £0.64.

 Fruits and vegetables are cheap too but their prices depend on the season. 1 kg of tomatoes or cucumbers costs £0.30. Potatoes cost between £0.26 and £0.50/kg.

Apples cost between £0.30 and £0.80 p/kg. Citrus fruits such as oranges cost less during winter, at £0.45 p/kg. You can have a dozen bananas for £0.80.

Cost of Dining Out

Cost of dining out in Bulgaria is one of the lowest in the European Union. You can have a luxurious meal for two people at a decent restaurant here for just £11.

A half-litre draught beer costs £0.65 and imported beer just £0.74. Coffee is inexpensive. You can have a cup of coffee at one of the better coffee shops here that offer free internet bandwidth for just £1 to £2.

Cost of Transportation

Transportation in Bulgaria is quite cheap. A bus ticket in any Bulgarian city costs an average of £0.26, and travelling by taxi costs £0.29/km.

In Sofia, there is a decent metro system that can take you to any part of the city. A monthly pass at the Sofia metro would cost you €25. Generally, a 15-minute drive by taxi in Sofia should cost you €5 to €7.

If you’re going to stay in Bulgaria for any length of time, you can buy a decent used car here for just €1,500. A litre of gasoline costs €1.2.

 Cost of Social Life

Most cities in Bulgaria have a vibrant nightlife. The nightclubs and bars here are not too expensive. Generally, a night out in Sofia, Bourgas or Varna would cost you between €10 and €25, which is very cheap by European standards. There’s no shortage of fun to be had, though.