Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Luanda and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Luanda: $1,002 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Luanda
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Luanda Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index

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Luanda

🇦🇴 Angola

$1,002

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,002 in Luanda versus $1,589 in Sofia.

Luanda $1,002
Sofia $1,589

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,894 in Luanda versus $2,456 in Sofia.

Luanda $1,894
Sofia $2,456

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Luanda versus $3,324 in Sofia.

Luanda $2,787
Sofia $3,324

Living in Luanda costs roughly 37% less than in Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Luanda is 25% below, Sofia is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 AOA 4,859

$17.10 BGN 29.93

-68.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.65 AOA 33.5K

$66.9 BGN 117

-45.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 AOA 6,110

$11.77 BGN 20.59

-43.16%

Cappuccino

$2.65 AOA 2,417

$3.42 BGN 5.99

-22.51%

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

$1.35 AOA 1,231

$2.42 BGN 4.23

-44.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 AOA 1,046

$1.86 BGN 3.26

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 AOA 1,533

$3.33 BGN 5.83

-49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 AOA 1,487

$4.53 BGN 7.92

-64.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 AOA 1,750

$1.92 BGN 3.36

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 AOA 890

$1.51 BGN 2.64

-35.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 AOA 1,479

$2.21 BGN 3.88

-26.70%

Eggs

$1.89 AOA 1,729

$4.40 BGN 7.69

-57.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 AOA 8,417

$11.56 BGN 20.22

-20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 AOA 3,047

$8.79 BGN 15.38

-62.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 AOA 7,130

$16.97 BGN 29.71

-53.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 AOA 2,056

$2.17 BGN 3.79

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 AOA 841

$2.04 BGN 3.57

-54.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 AOA 2,519

$1.84 BGN 3.22

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 AOA 1,664

$4.29 BGN 7.51

-57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 AOA 1,389

$1.03 BGN 1.80

47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 AOA 1,366

$0.93 BGN 1.62

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 AOA 1,537

$1.20 BGN 2.11

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 AOA 332

$0.92 BGN 1.62

-60.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 AOA 1,539

$4.30 BGN 7.53

-60.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 AOA 5,614

$7.33 BGN 12.83

-16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 AOA 388

$1.18 BGN 2.06

-63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 AOA 840

$1.87 BGN 3.28

-50.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 AOA 291

$0.87 BGN 1.52

-63.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.30 AOA 30.4K

$28.14 BGN 49.24

18.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 AOA 1,016

$1.74 BGN 3.04

-36.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 AOA 762

$0.96 BGN 1.68

-13.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 AOA 4,911

$15.54 BGN 27.19

-65.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 AOA 289

$1.79 BGN 3.14

-82.12%

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

$14.3K AOA 13.1M

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

-52.27%

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

$22.3K AOA 20.4M

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

-15.28%

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

$101 AOA 92.2K

$156 BGN 273

-35.24%

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

$17.81 AOA 16.3K

$21.21 BGN 37.11

-16.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 AOA 70.1K

$15.64 BGN 27.37

391.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 AOA 42.3K

$46.76 BGN 81.8

-0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 AOA 13.9K

$27.74 BGN 48.54

-44.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 AOA 3,332

$10.02 BGN 17.53

-63.57%

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

$750 AOA 684.4K

$766 BGN 1,341

-2.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K AOA 12.4M

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 AOA 100.4K

$89.7 BGN 157

22.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 AOA 58.1K

$40.88 BGN 71.5

55.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 AOA 87.9K

$106 BGN 186

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$196 AOA 179.0K

$105 BGN 183

87.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 AOA 348.9K

$796 BGN 1,393

-52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 AOA 185.2K

$607 BGN 1,063

-66.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,087 AOA 1.9M

$1,563 BGN 2,735

33.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 AOA 948.5K

$1,060 BGN 1,855

-2.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.0K AOA 10.9M

$4,357 BGN 7,626

174.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$868 AOA 792.2K

$3,250 BGN 5,688

-73.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,374 AOA 1.3M

$1,740 BGN 3,044

-21.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

626.64%

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

Last update for Luanda: October 4, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Clothing & Footwear

Luanda

$210 21%

Sofia

$154 9.6% 26.8% $56

Accommodation & Living

Luanda

$203 20.3%

Sofia

$607 37.9% 199% $405

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Luanda

$196 19.6%

Sofia

$193 12% 1.4% $2.8

Groceries & Markets

Luanda

$183 18.3%

Sofia

$287 17.9% 57.3% $105

Eating Out

Luanda

$116 11.6%

Sofia

$256 16% 121% $140

Sport & Entertainment

Luanda

$54 5.4%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 24.6% $13

Getting Around

Luanda

$40 4%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 4.3% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Luanda and $796 in Sofia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Luanda vs $67.0 in Sofia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $287 per month, with Luanda cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇦🇴 Luanda

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

09:06 9:06 AM

2 h ahead of Luanda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,600,000 Capital

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Angolan Kwanza AOA Kz

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 AOA = 10.96 USD

10,000 AOA = 9.77 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to AOA – Angolan Kwanza Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇦🇴 Angolan Kwanza (Kz)

Angolan Kwanza exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 913 AOA (1,000 AOA = 1.1 USD). 1 EUR = 1,024 AOA (10,000 AOA = 9.77 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

USD to AOA in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Luanda Sofia 5,820 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Luanda
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

Luanda vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luanda and Sofia differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,002 vs $1,589 including rent). Luanda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Sofia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $382 in Luanda versus $796 in Sofia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Luanda runs roughly 18% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $750 in Luanda versus $766 in Sofia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,002 in Luanda versus $1,589 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Luanda but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Luanda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Luanda and Sofia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Luanda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.