Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Az-zabadani and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Az-zabadani: $643 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Az-zabadani, Syria
Sofia, Bulgaria
Az-zabadani
🇸🇾 Syria
$643
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Az-zabadani 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 Az-zabadani and in Sofia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $643 per month in Az-zabadani vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Az-zabadani $643
  • Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Az-zabadani vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Az-zabadani $1,016
  • Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $1,390 per month in Az-zabadani vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Az-zabadani $1,390
  • Sofia $3,387

Az-zabadani is about 59% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Az-zabadani sits 52% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.98 SYP 1,213
$16.57 BGN 28.84
-39.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.01 SYP 5,106
$67.7 BGN 118
-37.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.91 SYP 840
$11.68 BGN 20.33
-40.84%
Cappuccino
$3.82 SYP 464
$3.41 BGN 5.93
12.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 SYP 267
$2.36 BGN 4.11
-6.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 SYP 99.5
$1.67 BGN 2.91
-50.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 SYP 238
$3.99 BGN 6.94
-50.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 SYP 491
$4.53 BGN 7.88
-10.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 SYP 124
$1.94 BGN 3.38
-47.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 SYP 54.8
$1.55 BGN 2.70
-70.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 SYP 186
$2.35 BGN 4.09
-34.89%
Eggs
$1.58 SYP 192
$4.60 BGN 8.00
-65.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.98 SYP 483
$11.47 BGN 19.96
-65.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.68 SYP 691
$8.65 BGN 15.04
-34.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.52 SYP 1,643
$17.34 BGN 30.17
-22.03%
Apples (1kg)
$1.07 SYP 130
$2.15 BGN 3.73
-50.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 SYP 171
$1.98 BGN 3.45
-28.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 SYP 139
$1.83 BGN 3.18
-37.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.06 SYP 129
$4.27 BGN 7.43
-75.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 SYP 90.3
$1.04 BGN 1.82
-28.85%
Onion (1kg)
$0.76 SYP 92.0
$0.89 BGN 1.54
-14.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.40 SYP 48.58
$1.19 BGN 2.06
-66.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 SYP 80.1
$0.83 BGN 1.45
-20.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 SYP 327
$4.40 BGN 7.66
-38.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.93 SYP 599
$7.42 BGN 12.91
-33.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 SYP 139
$1.16 BGN 2.01
-1.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 SYP 340
$1.90 BGN 3.30
47.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.92 BGN 1.60
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$28.11 BGN 48.91
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 SYP 118
$1.67 BGN 2.90
-41.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 SYP 187
$0.85 BGN 1.49
81.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 SYP 940
$16.59 BGN 28.87
-53.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.70 SYP 450
$1.74 BGN 3.03
112.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.1K SYP 1.8M
$29.9K BGN 52.1K
-49.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K SYP 2.3M
$25.0K BGN 43.5K
-24.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$140 SYP 17.0K
$158 BGN 275
-11.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.83 SYP 1,194
$21.27 BGN 37.01
-53.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.53 SYP 5,655
$15.12 BGN 26.30
207.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$46.85 BGN 81.5
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.82 BGN 48.41
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.36 SYP 651
$10.00 BGN 17.39
-46.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$65.9 SYP 8,005
$815 BGN 1,419
-91.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,782 SYP 216.6K
$14.6K BGN 25.5K
-87.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.00 SYP 3,524
$87.1 BGN 152
-66.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.16 SYP 4,881
$38.28 BGN 66.6
4.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.0 SYP 7,408
$106 BGN 184
-42.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.4 SYP 7,097
$107 BGN 187
-45.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$769 BGN 1,338
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$593 BGN 1,032
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,530 BGN 2,662
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,061 BGN 1,846
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,526 BGN 7,875
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,109 BGN 5,410
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Az-zabadani
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,780 BGN 3,098
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.25
2.89
393.08%

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

Last update for Az-zabadani: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Az-zabadani
$196
Sofia
$194 0.9% $1.8
Eating Out
Az-zabadani
$176
Sofia
$254 43.9% $77
Groceries & Markets
Az-zabadani
$166
Sofia
$288 73.2% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Az-zabadani
$85
Sofia
$152 79.4% $67
Sport & Entertainment
Az-zabadani
$11 *
Sofia
$67 524% $56
Getting Around
Az-zabadani
$8.7 *
Sofia
$38 335% $29
Accommodation & Living
Az-zabadani
- *
Sofia
$593

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Az-zabadani versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $288 – making Az-zabadani the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇾 Az-zabadani
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
14:45 2:45 PM
13:45 1:45 PM
1 h behind Az-zabadani
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,285
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to SYP – Syrian Pound Converter

Syrian Pound exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 122 SYP (1,000 SYP = 8.23 USD). 1 EUR = 136 SYP (1,000 SYP = 7.33 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Az-zabadani Sofia 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Az-zabadani
  • Sofia

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Az-zabadani vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Az-zabadani or Sofia?
Sofia costs about 147% more than Az-zabadani, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Az-zabadani and in Sofia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $964 per month in Az-zabadani and $2,378 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Az-zabadani and in Sofia?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Az-zabadani and $68 in Sofia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Az-zabadani or in Sofia?
Groceries cost about 73% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Az-zabadani or in Sofia?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Az-zabadani, where all-in costs run around $643, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Az-zabadani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Az-zabadani or Sofia?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $643 in Az-zabadani to $1,585 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Az-zabadani vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?