Portugal vs Bulgaria: Cost of Living Comparison

Two countries, different ways of life.

Compare income, living costs excluding rent and purchasing power for the same products.

Portugal · average monthly net salary€1,169≈ ₺65,330 TRY

↔

Bulgaria · average monthly net salary€1,022≈ ₺57,149 TRY

Average net income

€1,169≈ ₺65,330 TRY

€1,022≈ ₺57,149 TRY

Recorded source data

Living costs (excluding rent)

€678≈ ₺37,894 TRY

€614≈ ₺34,333 TRY

Monthly · excluding rent

Family of four costs (excluding rent)

€2,447≈ ₺136,795 TRY

€2,228≈ ₺124,579 TRY

Monthly · excluding rent

Petrol 95 (1 litre)

€2.07≈ ₺115.73 TRY

€1.62≈ ₺90.57 TRY

Recorded source data

Apple iPhone 18 Pro 256GB

€1,499≈ ₺83,806 TRY

€1,449≈ ₺81,010 TRY

Same product model

Essential Living Costs Compared

Bars show each expense as a share of net salary in its own country.

Expense	Portugal	Bulgaria
Living costs (excluding rent)	€677.80≈ ₺37,894.24 TRY	€614.10≈ ₺34,332.92 TRY
Family of four costs (excluding rent)	€2,446.80≈ ₺136,794.96 TRY	€2,228.30≈ ₺124,579.13 TRY
Petrol 95 (1 litre)	€2.07≈ ₺115.73 TRY	€1.62≈ ₺90.57 TRY
Diesel (1 litre)	€2.16≈ ₺120.76 TRY	€1.86≈ ₺103.99 TRY
LPG (1 litre)	€0.90≈ ₺50.32 TRY	—

Purchasing Power Overview

Sourced expenses relative to average net salary; not a quality-of-life score.

PortugalBulgariaShare of net salary · lower expense share · Outer ring 218%

Portugal and Bulgaria: details that can change the decision

Read country averages alongside local housing choices and access to the same product.

Portugal · The impact of housing choice

Portugal has 2 recorded cities whose central one-bedroom rents range from €1,153–€1,419; this is neither a national rent average nor a distribution of all listings.

City	Centre / outside centre	Source date
Porto	€1,153 / €852	2026-09-19
Lisbon	€1,419 / €1,067	2026-09-18

Do not relabel national salary as pay in these cities. Compare like-sized homes, included utilities and commuting costs; a lower rent may not translate into an equal saving.

Bulgaria · The impact of housing choice

Bulgaria has 2 recorded cities whose central one-bedroom rents range from €554–€687; this is neither a national rent average nor a distribution of all listings.

City	Centre / outside centre	Source date
Varna	€554 / €418	2026-09-13
Sofia	€687 / €520	2026-09-18

Do not relabel national salary as pay in these cities. Compare like-sized homes, included utilities and commuting costs; a lower rent may not translate into an equal saving.

The same product, a different income burden

The comparison below uses same-model records with prices in both countries. Working days do not deduct living costs and are not an actual savings timeline.

Product	Portugal	Bulgaria	Income-relative assessment
PlayStation 5 Disc	12.2 working days €649.99 EUR 2026-09-20	14.0 working days €649.99 EUR 2026-09-20	Portugal: 1.8 fewer working days; the same model requires a smaller share of average income.
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 / 16 GB / 512 GB	24.5 working days €1,299.00 EUR 2026-09-20	30.1 working days €1,399.00 EUR 2026-09-20	Portugal: 5.7 fewer working days; the same model requires a smaller share of average income.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro 256GB	28.2 working days €1,499.00 EUR 2026-09-20	31.2 working days €1,449.00 EUR 2026-09-20	Portugal: 3.0 fewer working days; the same model requires a smaller share of average income.

Which evidence supports this result?

Salary and living costs are compared in each country’s own currency, so their ratio needs no currency conversion. Population describes scale, not prosperity. City and product records can have different dates; the relevant sources and record dates are shown below.

Portugal

Average net income · Source · 2026-09-20
Living costs (excluding rent) · Source · 2026-09-19
Population · Source · 2026-09-20

Bulgaria

Average net income · Source · 2026-09-20
Living costs (excluding rent) · Source · 2026-09-19
Population · Source · 2026-09-20

Read the calculation methodology →

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All product prices, city rents, currency equivalents and sharing card

Country data and working time for the same product.

20 September 2026 dataset · Original source dates are preserved. Living costs exclude rent; city rents are not country averages.

IN THE SAME CURRENCY

See what the salaries amount to

Portugal

Average monthly net salary

€1,169≈ ₺65,330 TRY

1 EUR ≈ 55.9077 TRY

Bulgaria

Average monthly net salary

€1,022≈ ₺57,149 TRY

1 EUR ≈ 55.9077 TRY

Equivalents use stored exchange rates, not live bank quotes. Rate dates and sources are in the methodology below.

Single person · monthly costs (excluding rent)

Portugal€677.80≈ ₺37,894.24 TRYSource2026-09-19

Bulgaria€614.10≈ ₺34,332.92 TRYSource2026-09-19

Family of four · monthly costs (excluding rent)

Portugal€2,446.80≈ ₺136,794.96 TRYSource2026-09-19

Bulgaria€2,228.30≈ ₺124,579.13 TRYSource2026-09-19

Gasoline 95 · litre

Portugal€2.07≈ ₺115.73 TRYSource2026-09-14

Bulgaria€1.62≈ ₺90.57 TRYSource2026-09-14

Diesel · litre

Portugal€2.16≈ ₺120.76 TRYSource2026-09-14

Bulgaria€1.86≈ ₺103.99 TRYSource2026-09-14

LPG · litre

Portugal€0.90≈ ₺50.32 TRYSource2026-09-14

BulgariaNo data

Portugal€0.95 EUR< 0.1 working daysbenchmarkSource

Bulgaria€1.61 EUR< 0.1 working daysbenchmarkSource

City rents · not country averages

Portugal

Porto: €1,153

Lisbon: €1,419

Bulgaria

Varna: €554

Sofia: €687

Sources and calculation method

Product price ÷ average monthly net salary × monthly working days. Living expenses are not deducted. Currency equivalents use the ratio of existing euro-based rates. Missing rates produce no conversion.

EUR: Euro is the base currency.

TRY: Rate source · 2026-09-20 14:18:58