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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Jeddah vs $1,650 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Jeddah vs $2,556 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,855 per month in Jeddah vs $3,462 in Sofia, rent included.

Jeddah is about 17% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Jeddah sits 1% below the global median, while Sofia is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$17.41 BGN 28.96

-61.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$65.4 BGN 109

-18.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$12.17 BGN 20.25

-32.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$3.63 BGN 6.05

-2.48%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$2.36 BGN 3.92

-57.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-87.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.01 BGN 3.35

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.62 BGN 2.69

-37.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.42 BGN 4.02

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$4.41 BGN 7.33

-46.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$11.80 BGN 19.64

-46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 SAR 31.17

$9.25 BGN 15.39

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.13

$17.23 BGN 28.66

-24.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.17 BGN 3.61

-10.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-19.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-21.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$4.22 BGN 7.03

-60.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.15 BGN 1.91

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.00 BGN 1.66

29.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.18 BGN 1.97

-10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.02

$0.90 BGN 1.50

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 SAR 24.21

$4.33 BGN 7.21

48.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$0.92 BGN 1.52

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

$30.12 BGN 50.1

82.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.80

$1.88 BGN 3.12

67.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$0.91 BGN 1.52

92.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 SAR 52.2

$16.21 BGN 26.96

-14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.76 BGN 2.94

-65.91%

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

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

52.85%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

-22.26%

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

$102 SAR 384

$170 BGN 283

-39.85%

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

$38.54 SAR 145

$22.02 BGN 36.64

75.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$15.43 BGN 25.67

337.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$47.50 BGN 79.0

83.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

$29.53 BGN 49.13

39.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 SAR 44.56

$10.33 BGN 17.18

14.91%

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

$728 SAR 2,733

$799 BGN 1,330

-8.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

21.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$88.5 BGN 147

-22.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 224

$42.54 BGN 70.8

40.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$108 BGN 179

-10.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$112 BGN 187

-13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,904

$784 BGN 1,305

-1.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SAR 1,994

$622 BGN 1,034

-14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SAR 5,497

$1,576 BGN 2,622

-7.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 SAR 3,121

$1,073 BGN 1,785

-22.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

$4,637 BGN 7,714

-62.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

$3,355 BGN 5,581

-65.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

$1,742 BGN 2,898

-4.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

2.9

85.86%

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

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Jeddah versus $784 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 5% 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 $53.0 in Jeddah versus $65.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $295 – 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: $1,362 in Jeddah, $1,650 in Sofia – roughly 21% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,043 per month in Jeddah and $2,475 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 $53.0 in Jeddah and $65.0 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 $1,362 in Jeddah and $1,650 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 $1,362, than in Sofia at $1,650. 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 $1,362 in Jeddah to $1,650 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.