Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kerman and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Kerman: $503 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kerman, Iran
Sofia, Bulgaria
Kerman
🇮🇷 Iran
$503
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $503 per month in Kerman vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Kerman $503
  • Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $873 per month in Kerman vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Kerman $873
  • Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $1,243 per month in Kerman vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Kerman $1,243
  • Sofia $3,387

Kerman is about 68% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kerman sits 63% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.95 $3.95
$16.57 BGN 28.84
-76.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.13 $18.13
$67.7 BGN 118
-73.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.91 $3.91
$11.68 BGN 20.33
-66.52%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.73 $0.73
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 $1.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.09 $1.09
$3.41 BGN 5.93
-68.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 $0.65
$2.36 BGN 4.11
-72.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.67 BGN 2.91
-38.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.99 BGN 6.94
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.53 BGN 7.88
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.53 $0.53
$1.94 BGN 3.38
-72.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 $0.52
$1.55 BGN 2.70
-66.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.35 BGN 4.09
15.32%
Eggs
$1.10 $1.10
$4.60 BGN 8.00
-76.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$11.47 BGN 19.96
-62.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.92 $1.92
$8.65 BGN 15.04
-77.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.30 $10.30
$17.34 BGN 30.17
-40.60%
Apples (1kg)
$0.62 $0.62
$2.15 BGN 3.73
-71.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.98 BGN 3.45
2.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.83 BGN 3.18
-51.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 $0.56
$4.27 BGN 7.43
-86.89%
Potato (1kg)
$0.41 $0.41
$1.04 BGN 1.82
-60.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 $0.42
$0.89 BGN 1.54
-52.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 $0.56
$1.19 BGN 2.06
-52.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.17 $0.17
$0.83 BGN 1.45
-79.52%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.78 $0.78
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 $0.55
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 $1.37
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.47 $1.47
$4.40 BGN 7.66
-66.59%
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.14 $0.14
$0.92 BGN 1.60
-84.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.79 $9.79
$28.11 BGN 48.91
-65.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 $0.39
$1.67 BGN 2.90
-76.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$0.85 BGN 1.49
-65.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 $2.53
$16.59 BGN 28.87
-84.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.09 $0.09
$1.74 BGN 3.03
-94.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.4K $46.4K
$29.9K BGN 52.1K
54.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.1K $42.1K
$25.0K BGN 43.5K
68.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$10.89 $10.89
$158 BGN 275
-93.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.57 $1.57
$21.27 BGN 37.01
-92.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.85 $3.85
$15.12 BGN 26.30
-74.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.24 $13.24
$46.85 BGN 81.5
-71.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.56 $13.56
$27.82 BGN 48.41
-51.26%
Cinema Ticket
$1.96 $1.96
$10.00 BGN 17.39
-80.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 $106
$815 BGN 1,419
-86.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,399 $2,399
$14.6K BGN 25.5K
-83.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.75 $21.75
$87.1 BGN 152
-75.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$66.0 $66.0
$38.28 BGN 66.6
72.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$106 BGN 184
20.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.6 $56.6
$107 BGN 187
-47.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$342 $342
$769 BGN 1,338
-55.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$166 $166
$593 BGN 1,032
-72.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$849 $849
$1,530 BGN 2,662
-44.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$402 $402
$1,061 BGN 1,846
-62.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$894 $894
$4,526 BGN 7,875
-80.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$509 $509
$3,109 BGN 5,410
-83.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kerman
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$205 $205
$1,780 BGN 3,098
-88.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
2.89
740.83%

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

Last update for Kerman: November 3, 2026

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kerman
$166
Sofia
$593 258% $427
Clothing & Footwear
Kerman
$122
Sofia
$152 24.6% $30
Groceries & Markets
Kerman
$107
Sofia
$288 169% $181
Eating Out
Kerman
$63
Sofia
$254 302% $191
Sport & Entertainment
Kerman
$17
Sofia
$67 290% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kerman
$16
Sofia
$194 1091% $178
Getting Around
Kerman
$12
Sofia
$38 210% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $342 in Kerman 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 8.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Kerman versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $107 vs $288 – making Kerman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Kerman
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
21:39 9:39 PM
20:09 8:09 PM
1 h 30 min behind Kerman
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
537,718
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
USD USD
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kerman Sofia 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kerman
  • 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
Kerman vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kerman and in Sofia compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $503 in Kerman, $1,585 in Sofia – Kerman comes out roughly 68% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Kerman compared to Sofia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $755 per month in Kerman and $2,378 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kerman and Sofia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kerman, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $342 there versus $769 in Sofia.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Kerman and $68 in Sofia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kerman or Sofia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $503 in Kerman and $1,585 in Sofia. That makes Kerman about 68% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kerman, where all-in costs run around $503, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Kerman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Kerman or Sofia?
Families tend to lean toward Kerman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kerman or Sofia safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Kerman and Sofia?
If budget matters most, go with Kerman. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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