Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $608 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$608

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $608 per month in Islamabad vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

Islamabad $608
Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $950 per month in Islamabad vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

Islamabad $950
Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $1,292 per month in Islamabad vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

Islamabad $1,292
Sofia $3,387

Islamabad is about 62% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Islamabad sits 55% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 PKR 986

$16.57 BGN 28.84

-78.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 PKR 6,678

$67.7 BGN 118

-64.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 PKR 1,484

$11.68 BGN 20.33

-54.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 PKR 1,031

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 PKR 1,948

Cappuccino

$2.67 PKR 739

$3.41 BGN 5.93

-21.70%

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

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$2.36 BGN 4.11

-85.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.6

$1.67 BGN 2.91

-85.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 PKR 273

$1.94 BGN 3.38

-48.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 PKR 203

$1.55 BGN 2.70

-52.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$2.35 BGN 4.09

-45.11%

Eggs

$1.32 PKR 366

$4.60 BGN 8.00

-71.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 PKR 1,653

$11.47 BGN 19.96

-47.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 838

$8.65 BGN 15.04

-64.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.52 PKR 1,528

$17.34 BGN 30.17

-68.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 PKR 374

$2.15 BGN 3.73

-37.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$1.98 BGN 3.45

-56.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 287

$1.83 BGN 3.18

-43.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 151

$4.27 BGN 7.43

-87.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 83.3

$1.04 BGN 1.82

-71.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.89 BGN 1.54

-55.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 77.1

$1.19 BGN 2.06

-76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$0.83 BGN 1.45

-48.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 347

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 PKR 729

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 PKR 652

$4.40 BGN 7.66

-46.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.19

$0.92 BGN 1.60

-81.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.61 PKR 5,977

$28.11 BGN 48.91

-23.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.67 BGN 2.90

-23.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 PKR 194

$0.85 BGN 1.49

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 PKR 456

$16.59 BGN 28.87

-90.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 PKR 369

$1.74 BGN 3.03

-23.56%

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

$54.3K PKR 15.0M

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

81.29%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

-7.51%

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

$103 PKR 28.4K

$158 BGN 275

-34.85%

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

$6.17 PKR 1,707

$21.27 BGN 37.01

-70.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 PKR 4,802

$15.12 BGN 26.30

14.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.65 PKR 9,308

$46.85 BGN 81.5

-28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 PKR 2,384

$27.82 BGN 48.41

-69.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 PKR 1,376

$10.00 BGN 17.39

-50.30%

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

$326 PKR 90.2K

$815 BGN 1,419

-60.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

53.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.82 PKR 7,142

$87.1 BGN 152

-70.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.52 PKR 9,548

$38.28 BGN 66.6

-9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 PKR 26.4K

$106 BGN 184

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.07 PKR 11.4K

$107 BGN 187

-61.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 PKR 68.5K

$769 BGN 1,338

-67.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.5K

$593 BGN 1,032

-76.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 PKR 151.7K

$1,530 BGN 2,662

-64.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 PKR 77.5K

$1,061 BGN 1,846

-73.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,655 PKR 457.9K

$4,526 BGN 7,875

-63.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$825 PKR 228.1K

$3,109 BGN 5,410

-73.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 PKR 106.1K

$1,780 BGN 3,098

-78.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

2.89

352.60%

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

Last update for Islamabad: 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

Islamabad

$139 22.9%

Sofia

$593 37.4% 326% $454

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 20.8%

Sofia

$194 12.3% 53.7% $68

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$104 17.1%

Sofia

$288 18.2% 177% $184

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.6%

Sofia

$152 9.6% 71.6% $63

Eating Out

Islamabad

$79 13%

Sofia

$254 16% 221% $175

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$44 7.2%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 53.3% $23

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 39.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Islamabad 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 4.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Islamabad versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $104 vs $288 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

03:39 3:39 AM

00:39 12:39 AM

3 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.22 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Islamabad Sofia 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
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

Islamabad vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 161%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $912 per month in Islamabad 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 Islamabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $248 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Groceries cost about 176% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Islamabad and $68 in Sofia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – 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 Islamabad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.