Stara Zagora at a glance
- Stara Zagora ranks 6th of 7 priced cities in Bulgaria on cost: $1,080 a month in essentials, 42% above Ruse, the cheapest.
- The average net salary of $1,366 covers that 1.3×.
- 106.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at oblast level.
- PM2.5 averages 10.7 µg/m³ a year, 2× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 7 Bulgaria cities we track, so every row says whether Stara Zagora is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,080 | $1,075 | $5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $452 | $450 | $2 |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $590 | $586 | $4 |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $134 | $134 | same |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $301 | $282 | $19 |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $166 | $166 | same |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $27 | $29 | $2 |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $1,366 | $1,208 | $157 |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $794 | $794 | same |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,156 | $1,156 | same |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Stara Zagora, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.04 | $14.11 | $0.93 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $50.12 | $50.12 | same |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $10.02 | $10.02 | same |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.12 | $3.12 | same |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $3.01 | $2.91 | $0.10 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $4.01 | $3.49 | $0.52 |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $2.13 | $1.75 | $0.38 |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $1.63 | $1.59 | $0.04 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.74 | $1.82 | $0.08 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $1.42 | $1.28 | $0.14 |
| White rice, 1 kg | $2.03 | $2.25 | $0.22 |
| Eggs, 12 | $3.82 | $3.74 | $0.08 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $10.43 | $10.43 | same |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $7.93 | $8.06 | $0.13 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $1.82 | $1.82 | same |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.78 | $1.86 | $0.08 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $3.81 | $3.06 | $0.75 |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $0.99 | $1.08 | $0.09 |
| Onions, 1 kg | $0.79 | $1.06 | 1.34× as much |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.71 | $0.76 | $0.05 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.86 | $0.87 | $0.01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $27.31 | $29.05 | $1.74 |
| Taxi start | $1.70 | $1.70 | same |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.92 | $0.76 | $0.16 |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.61 | $1.61 | same |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $151.50 | $151.50 | same |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $14.19 | $14.19 | same |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $19.80 | $19.80 | same |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $40.63 | $40.63 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $9.78 | $9.31 | $0.47 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Stara Zagora has 106.7 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (oblast level). That is the 2nd-highest of 7 Bulgaria cities we track. Bulgaria's national figure is 105.4, so Stara Zagora runs 1 above the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Stara Zagora ranks against every city we track
Stara Zagora sits ahead of 93% of the 1016 cities we track on safety. On salary against local costs it is ahead of 67% of 991. Its weakest measure is women aged 20–39, ahead of only 18% of 1001.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Stara Zagora sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
Put Stara Zagora on the board
Ratio, cost and visa for Stara Zagora beside every other city we measure. Free, no sign-in.
Open Stara Zagora in the research deskOr unlock the Bulgaria deep-dive: visa, tax, scams, and the sub-national map.
Photo: Khan Omurtag, CC0.
Data updated