Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Atyrau and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Atyrau: $1,015 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Atyrau
Learn more

Atyrau Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index

Jump to prices

Atyrau

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,015

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Atyrau and in Sofia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Atyrau and in Sofia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Atyrau vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

Atyrau $1,015
Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Atyrau vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

Atyrau $1,678
Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $2,340 per month in Atyrau vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

Atyrau $2,340
Sofia $3,387

Atyrau is about 36% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Atyrau sits 25% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₸4,424

$16.57 BGN 28.84

-40.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.84 ₸16.6K

$67.7 BGN 118

-45.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 ₸3,358

$11.68 BGN 20.33

-36.22%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₸957

$3.41 BGN 5.93

-37.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₸502

$2.36 BGN 4.11

-52.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ₸373

$1.67 BGN 2.91

-50.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₸763

$3.99 BGN 6.94

-57.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₸927

$4.53 BGN 7.88

-54.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₸779

$1.94 BGN 3.38

-10.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₸199

$1.55 BGN 2.70

-71.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ₸907

$2.35 BGN 4.09

-14.47%

Eggs

$1.55 ₸700

$4.60 BGN 8.00

-66.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 ₸5,047

$11.47 BGN 19.96

-2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.48 ₸3,823

$8.65 BGN 15.04

-1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 ₸3,613

$17.34 BGN 30.17

-53.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ₸793

$2.15 BGN 3.73

-18.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ₸1,215

$1.98 BGN 3.45

35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₸1,041

$1.83 BGN 3.18

26.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 ₸787

$4.27 BGN 7.43

-59.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₸297

$1.04 BGN 1.82

-36.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₸199

$0.89 BGN 1.54

-50.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₸562

$1.19 BGN 2.06

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ₸438

$0.83 BGN 1.45

16.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 ₸1,086

$4.40 BGN 7.66

-45.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.62 ₸4,336

$7.42 BGN 12.91

29.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ₸597

$1.16 BGN 2.01

13.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₸653

$1.90 BGN 3.30

-23.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₸154

$0.92 BGN 1.60

-63.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ₸9,811

$28.11 BGN 48.91

-22.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ₸681

$1.67 BGN 2.90

-9.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₸298

$0.85 BGN 1.49

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 ₸2,956

$16.59 BGN 28.87

-60.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 ₸304

$1.74 BGN 3.03

-61.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K ₸7.9M

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

-41.16%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.8K ₸13.4M

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

18.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$52.3 ₸23.6K

$158 BGN 275

-66.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.98 ₸4,950

$21.27 BGN 37.01

-48.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.33 ₸6,459

$15.12 BGN 26.30

-5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 ₸28.8K

$46.85 BGN 81.5

36.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.91 ₸4,466

$27.82 BGN 48.41

-64.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ₸2,844

$10.00 BGN 17.39

-36.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$289 ₸130.1K

$815 BGN 1,419

-64.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,495 ₸1.6M

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

-76.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.49 ₸15.1K

$87.1 BGN 152

-61.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.97 ₸19.8K

$38.28 BGN 66.6

14.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.8 ₸39.6K

$106 BGN 184

-16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ₸39.8K

$107 BGN 187

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ₸229.5K

$769 BGN 1,338

-33.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 ₸155.5K

$593 BGN 1,032

-41.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 ₸501.7K

$1,530 BGN 2,662

-27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₸349.9K

$1,061 BGN 1,846

-26.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$939 ₸423.4K

$4,526 BGN 7,875

-79.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$749 ₸337.8K

$3,109 BGN 5,410

-75.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$724 ₸326.4K

$1,780 BGN 3,098

-59.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

938.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Atyrau: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Atyrau

$345 34%

Sofia

$593 37.4% 71.9% $248

Groceries & Markets

Atyrau

$227 22.4%

Sofia

$288 18.2% 26.7% $61

Eating Out

Atyrau

$147 14.5%

Sofia

$254 16% 72.9% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Atyrau

$114 11.2%

Sofia

$152 9.6% 33.4% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Atyrau

$78 7.7%

Sofia

$194 12.3% 150% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Atyrau

$76 7.5%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 12.5% $9.6

Getting Around

Atyrau

$28 2.8%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 35% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Atyrau versus $769 in Sofia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Sofia are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Atyrau versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $288 – making Atyrau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Atyrau

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

13:18 1:18 PM

10:18 10:18 AM

3 h behind Atyrau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

323,295

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 451 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Atyrau Sofia 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Atyrau
Sofia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Atyrau vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,015 in Atyrau, $1,585 in Sofia – Atyrau comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,522 per month in Atyrau and $2,378 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Atyrau, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $509 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Atyrau and $815 in Sofia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,015 in Atyrau and $1,585 in Sofia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Atyrau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Atyrau. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.