Cost of Living in Bulgaria

Real prices in euro for food, eating out, fuel, cars, heating, insurance, flights and more — plus monthly budgets for a single person, a couple and a family. Checked 25 September 2026.

What will it cost you each month?

Choose who is moving and where. Figures are typical monthly spending, built from the prices further down this page.

Own house, car essential, wood heating

Food shopping€380
Eating out & drinks€100
Electricity & water€70
Heating (averaged over the year)€60
Mobile & internet€40
Car or transport (fuel, insurance, vignette, tax, servicing)€170
Health insurance & medical€50
Home insurance, local tax & waste fee€20
Leisure, clothes & household€120

Living costs per month

about €1,010

Excluding rent or mortgage

If you rentest.

+ €150–€300

Village house to rent — few listings, our estimate

These are our estimates for a modest, comfortable lifestyle — not a minimum and not a luxury budget. Your own spending will differ.

Everyday prices

National averages unless stated. Items marked est. are our estimates where no reliable published price exists — always get a quote.

Food shopping

  • Milk (1 litre)€1.61
  • Bread (500g loaf)€0.90–1.00
  • Eggs (12)€3.10
  • Local white cheese — sirene (1kg)€9.30
  • Chicken breast (1kg)€7.15
  • Beef (1kg)€11.80
  • Tomatoes (1kg)€2.45

    Much cheaper at the market in summer

  • Potatoes (1kg)€0.97
  • Apples (1kg)€1.54
  • Rice (1kg)€1.98
  • Water (1.5 litre bottle)€0.64

Eating out

  • Meal at a cheap restaurant (national average)€10.23
  • Same meal in Sofia€15.00
  • Same meal in Veliko Tarnovo€10.00
  • Three-course meal for two, mid-range€41 (Sofia €60)
  • McDonald's meal€9.20
  • Cappuccino€2.22 (Sofia €3.14)

Drinks & cigarettes

  • Local draught beer in a bar (0.5 litre)€2.05 (Sofia €3.03)
  • Local beer from a shop (0.5 litre)€0.96
  • Imported beer from a shop (0.33 litre)€1.54
  • Bottle of mid-range wine (shop)€6.13
  • Soft drink in a café€1.42
  • Cigarettes (Marlboro, 20)€3.50

Car, fuel & repairs

  • Petrol A95 (1 litre)€1.68
  • Diesel (1 litre)€1.95
  • LPG / autogas (1 litre)€0.69

    Many locals run cars on LPG — less than half the price of petrol

  • Motorway vignette — 12 months€64.50
  • Motorway vignette — 1 month€19.90
  • Third-party car insurance (per year)€90–240
  • Annual technical inspection (MOT)about €30
  • Annual vehicle tax (depends on engine and emissions)est.€30–120
  • Oil and filter service at a local garageest.€60–120
  • Mechanic labour (per hour, outside Sofia)est.€15–30

    Always get the price agreed before work starts

  • New VW Golf 1.5€26,850

Transport & flights

  • Local bus/tram ticket€0.80
  • Monthly public transport pass€25
  • Taxi — start fare€1.33
  • Taxi — per kmabout €0.66
  • Flight London Luton–Sofia (cheapest advertised, one way)from £27
  • Typical one-way flight UK–Bulgaria with a bagest.£60–150

    Sofia, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv all have UK flights; coast routes are busiest in summer

Home, utilities & heating

  • Electricity (per kWh, all-in)about €0.14
  • Water (per m³)about €2 in Sofia, up to €3 in some regions
  • Basic utilities for an 85m² flat (per month)€85 (V. Tarnovo) – €142 (Sofia)
  • Firewood, delivered (per m³)€70–75

    Buy in spring or summer — prices climb before winter

  • Broadband internet (per month)€12
  • Mobile plan with 10GB+ (per month)€16

Insurance & home security

  • Apartment insurance, buildings + contents (per year)€40–120
  • Village house, full cover incl. earthquake & unoccupied (per year)€180–350
  • Rural house, €20,000 insured value (per year)about €75
  • Alarm monitoring only (per month)from €12
  • Alarm monitoring + guard response (per month)€22–65
  • Alarm communicator (GSM modem, one-off)about €80
  • Private health insurance (per year)€120–600
  • State health contribution if self-insured (per month)€22–26

Garden & property care while you're away

  • Caretaker checks, twice a month with photosest.€30–80 per month
  • Grass cutting (per visit, village plot)est.€20–40
  • Winterising (drain pipes, shut off water)est.€30–60 per visit
  • Alarm monitoring while emptyfrom €12 per month

Few firms publish prices — these are our estimates. Get two quotes and ask a neighbour: in villages a trusted local is often cheaper and more reliable.

Healthcare (private)

  • GP / doctor visit€20–40
  • Specialist consultation€30–50
  • Basic blood tests€20–50
  • Dental check-up€20–40
  • Dental filling€30–60

Leisure & entertainment

  • Gym membership (per month)€30 (Sofia €42)
  • Cinema ticket€7.66
  • Tennis court, 1 hour€16
  • Levi's jeans€53
  • Nike running shoes€81

Tools, DIY & building

  • Branded power tools (Bosch, Makita etc.)About the same as the UK
  • Local builder / handyman labourMuch cheaper than the UK

    Agree prices in writing and pay in stages

DIY chains include Praktiker, Mr. Bricolage and Jumbo. Materials are close to UK prices; labour is where you save.

Ways to spend less

  • •Buy fruit and vegetables at the local market (пазар — "pazar") in season. It is usually cheaper and fresher than the supermarket.
  • •Lidl and Kaufland own brands are the cheapest supermarket option. Imported British brands cost more than at home.
  • •Look for a lunch menu (обедно меню — "obedno menyu") — a set lunch at a local restaurant is often good value.
  • •Consider a car that runs on LPG. Autogas is less than half the price of petrol.
  • •Buy firewood in spring or summer, before prices rise for winter.
  • •Buy the annual vignette (€64.50) rather than monthly ones if you drive on motorways regularly.
  • •Avoid tourist streets — Vitosha Boulevard in Sofia and seafront terraces on the coast charge noticeably more.
  • •A modern air-conditioning unit (heat pump) is often the cheapest way to heat one or two rooms.

Prices change, especially fuel and energy. These figures are a guide to help you plan, not a quote. Check current prices locally before making decisions.

Sources