Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Sofia Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Sofia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,365 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $2,143 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $2,922 in Sofia, rent included.

Jeddah is about 11% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Jeddah sits 9% below the global median, while Sofia is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$11.72 BGN 19.51

-44.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$49.80 BGN 82.8

-20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$8.77 BGN 14.59

-11.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$2.63 BGN 4.38

43.73%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.78 BGN 2.96

-60.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$1.42 BGN 2.36

-82.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.86 BGN 3.09

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-21.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.99 BGN 3.31

12.06%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$3.96 BGN 6.58

-33.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$12.18 BGN 20.26

-39.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$8.72 BGN 14.51

-10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.51

$12.98 BGN 21.60

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$1.91 BGN 3.18

14.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-19.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-22.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.75 BGN 4.57

-42.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.12 BGN 1.86

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.05 BGN 1.75

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.66 BGN 1.10

-16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$3.87 BGN 6.43

75.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.98 BGN 1.63

32.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$29.45 BGN 48.99

35.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.90

$1.45 BGN 2.40

118.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$0.78 BGN 1.30

137.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$14.34 BGN 23.86

4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.57 BGN 2.62

-61.78%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

-17.58%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

-26.60%

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

$108 SAR 406

$150 BGN 249

-27.82%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$17.78 BGN 29.57

81.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$15.40 BGN 25.62

351.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$43.98 BGN 73.2

107.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$21.48 BGN 35.73

110.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$9.61 BGN 15.98

37.46%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$642 BGN 1,068

-36.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

-31.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 236

$71.9 BGN 120

-12.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$35.78 BGN 59.5

61.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$107 BGN 178

-11.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$119 BGN 198

-29.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$695 BGN 1,156

-27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$504 BGN 838

-23.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$1,257 BGN 2,091

-28.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$893 BGN 1,485

-32.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$4,422 BGN 7,356

-62.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,813

$3,336 BGN 5,550

-69.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$1,674 BGN 2,785

-0.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.09

45.63%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $695 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 run about 1% higher in Sofia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah versus $50.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $259 – making Jeddah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Jeddah vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,365 in Sofia – roughly 12% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $2,047 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jeddah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah and $50.0 in Sofia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Jeddah and $1,365 in Sofia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Sofia at $1,365. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,218 in Jeddah to $1,365 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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