Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lezhe and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Lezhe: $1,011 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lezhe
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,011
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Lezhe vs $1,594 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Lezhe $1,011
  • Sofia $1,594

A couple spends around $1,537 per month in Lezhe vs $2,478 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Lezhe $1,537
  • Sofia $2,478

A family of three spends $2,063 per month in Lezhe vs $3,361 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Lezhe $2,063
  • Sofia $3,361

Lezhe is about 37% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lezhe sits 25% below the global median, while Sofia is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.39 ALL 434
$16.87 BGN 29.35
-68.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.19 ALL 2,995
$65.8 BGN 115
-43.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.64 ALL 293
$11.32 BGN 19.69
-67.84%
Cappuccino
$1.02 ALL 82.4
$3.43 BGN 5.98
-70.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 ALL 121
$2.41 BGN 4.19
-37.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ALL 51.3
$1.85 BGN 3.22
-65.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.49 ALL 120
$3.70 BGN 6.44
-59.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 ALL 195
$4.58 BGN 7.97
-46.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 ALL 153
$2.02 BGN 3.51
-5.94%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 ALL 79.6
$1.56 BGN 2.72
-36.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 ALL 163
$2.33 BGN 4.05
-13.30%
Eggs
$2.66 ALL 214
$4.36 BGN 7.59
-38.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.15 ALL 817
$11.76 BGN 20.47
-13.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.60 ALL 692
$8.83 BGN 15.37
-2.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.03 ALL 1,130
$17.46 BGN 30.38
-19.64%
Apples (1kg)
$1.91 ALL 154
$2.15 BGN 3.74
-11.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 ALL 179
$1.98 BGN 3.44
12.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.62 ALL 130
$1.93 BGN 3.37
-16.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ALL 128
$4.24 BGN 7.37
-62.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 ALL 87.0
$1.04 BGN 1.80
3.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.28 ALL 103
$0.85 BGN 1.48
50.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ALL 94.8
$1.15 BGN 2.00
2.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ALL 67.0
$0.89 BGN 1.56
-6.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ALL 347
$4.21 BGN 7.33
2.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.79 ALL 627
$7.46 BGN 12.98
4.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ALL 138
$1.15 BGN 2.01
49.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 ALL 149
$1.85 BGN 3.23
-
🚌 Getting Around
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 ALL 39.41
$0.87 BGN 1.51
-43.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.93 ALL 1,524
$28.53 BGN 49.65
-33.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.73 ALL 301
$1.68 BGN 2.93
122.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.82 ALL 308
$0.94 BGN 1.63
306.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.97 ALL 1,447
$15.35 BGN 26.70
17.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 ALL 182
$1.69 BGN 2.94
33.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.2K ALL 2.7M
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
11.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K ALL 2.0M
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
-5.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.0 ALL 4,833
$156 BGN 272
-61.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.37 ALL 1,318
$21.56 BGN 37.52
-24.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.98 ALL 1,367
$15.24 BGN 26.51
11.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.3 ALL 4,456
$46.08 BGN 80.2
20.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.92 BGN 48.58
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.77 ALL 706
$10.18 BGN 17.72
-13.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$180 ALL 14.5K
$774 BGN 1,347
-76.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.81 ALL 4,011
$89.9 BGN 157
-44.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.5 ALL 4,468
$41.29 BGN 71.8
34.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.3 ALL 7,752
$105 BGN 183
-8.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$146 ALL 11.8K
$107 BGN 186
36.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ALL 38.9K
$783 BGN 1,362
-38.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$308 ALL 24.8K
$597 BGN 1,038
-48.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$709 ALL 57.1K
$1,516 BGN 2,638
-53.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$429 ALL 34.6K
$1,030 BGN 1,792
-58.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,694 ALL 136.4K
$4,350 BGN 7,568
-61.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,133 ALL 91.2K
$3,177 BGN 5,528
-64.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lezhe
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$609 ALL 49.1K
$1,735 BGN 3,019
-64.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
2.89
73.01%

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

Last update for Lezhe: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lezhe
$308
Sofia
$597 93.5% $288
Groceries & Markets
Lezhe
$249
Sofia
$290 16.7% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Lezhe
$156
Sofia
$154 1.3% $2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lezhe
$93
Sofia
$193 107% $100
Eating Out
Lezhe
$87
Sofia
$255 192% $168
Sport & Entertainment
Lezhe
$73
Sofia
$66 8.8% $6.4
Getting Around
Lezhe
$44
Sofia
$38 12.2% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Lezhe versus $783 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 185% 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 $37.00 in Lezhe versus $66.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $290 – making Lezhe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Lezhe
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
10:15 10:15 AM
11:15 11:15 AM
1 h ahead of Lezhe
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
65,633
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.53 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 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
  • Lezhe Sofia 320 km
From you
  • Lezhe
  • 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
Lezhe vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lezhe and in Sofia compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,011 in Lezhe, $1,594 in Sofia – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Lezhe compared to Sofia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,516 per month in Lezhe and $2,391 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lezhe and Sofia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lezhe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Lezhe and $66.0 in Sofia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lezhe, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Lezhe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lezhe and Sofia?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,011 in Lezhe to $1,594 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lezhe or Sofia safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Lezhe and Sofia?
If budget matters most, go with Lezhe. 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.

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