Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manouba and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Manouba: $651 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manouba
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$651
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $651 in Manouba versus $1,594 in Sofia.

  • Manouba $651
  • Sofia $1,594

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Manouba versus $2,478 in Sofia.

  • Manouba $1,024
  • Sofia $2,478

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Manouba versus $3,361 in Sofia.

  • Manouba $1,396
  • Sofia $3,361

Living in Manouba costs roughly 59% less than in Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manouba is 52% below, Sofia is 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 TND 9.97
$16.87 BGN 29.35
-80.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.92 TND 59.7
$65.8 BGN 115
-69.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.14 TND 18.38
$11.32 BGN 19.69
-45.76%
Cappuccino
$1.11 TND 3.34
$3.43 BGN 5.98
-67.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 TND 1.88
$2.41 BGN 4.19
-73.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 TND 0.81
$1.85 BGN 3.22
-85.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.55 TND 4.64
$3.70 BGN 6.44
-58.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 TND 7.05
$4.58 BGN 7.97
-48.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.46 TND 1.38
$2.02 BGN 3.51
-77.23%
White Bread (500g)
$0.22 TND 0.66
$1.56 BGN 2.72
-85.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 TND 3.92
$2.33 BGN 4.05
-43.78%
Eggs
$1.55 TND 4.63
$4.36 BGN 7.59
-64.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 TND 30.75
$11.76 BGN 20.47
-12.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.45 TND 16.31
$8.83 BGN 15.37
-38.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.79 TND 41.32
$17.46 BGN 30.38
-21.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 TND 5.52
$2.15 BGN 3.74
-14.42%
Banana (1kg)
$3.16 TND 9.45
$1.98 BGN 3.44
59.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 TND 3.24
$1.93 BGN 3.37
-44.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.74 TND 2.21
$4.24 BGN 7.37
-82.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 TND 2.29
$1.04 BGN 1.80
-25.96%
Onion (1kg)
$0.61 TND 1.84
$0.85 BGN 1.48
-28.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 TND 1.60
$1.15 BGN 2.00
-53.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 TND 1.03
$0.89 BGN 1.56
-61.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.72 TND 11.15
$4.21 BGN 7.33
-11.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.74 TND 20.18
$7.46 BGN 12.98
-9.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 TND 3.55
$1.15 BGN 2.01
3.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 TND 3.22
$1.85 BGN 3.23
-41.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 TND 0.95
$0.87 BGN 1.51
-63.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.95 TND 29.81
$28.53 BGN 49.65
-65.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.30 TND 0.89
$1.68 BGN 2.93
-82.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 TND 1.00
$0.94 BGN 1.63
-64.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.85 TND 5.54
$15.35 BGN 26.70
-87.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 TND 2.67
$1.69 BGN 2.94
-47.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0K TND 110.7K
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
24.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K TND 104.7K
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
33.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$44.48 TND 133
$156 BGN 272
-71.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.22 TND 27.61
$21.56 BGN 37.52
-57.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.44 TND 61.2
$15.24 BGN 26.51
34.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.56 TND 79.6
$46.08 BGN 80.2
-42.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.42 TND 37.19
$27.92 BGN 48.58
-55.52%
Cinema Ticket
$5.31 TND 15.90
$10.18 BGN 17.72
-47.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$97.3 TND 291
$774 BGN 1,347
-87.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,444 TND 7,319
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
-80.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.75 TND 128
$89.9 BGN 157
-52.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.55 TND 109
$41.29 BGN 71.8
-11.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 TND 303
$105 BGN 183
-3.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.8 TND 203
$107 BGN 186
-36.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 TND 624
$783 BGN 1,362
-73.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$155 TND 465
$597 BGN 1,038
-73.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$372 TND 1,115
$1,516 BGN 2,638
-75.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$268 TND 804
$1,030 BGN 1,792
-73.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$957 TND 2,866
$4,350 BGN 7,568
-78.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 TND 1,854
$3,177 BGN 5,528
-80.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manouba
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,735 BGN 3,019
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.28
2.89
255.71%

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

Last update for Manouba: October 10, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Manouba
$185
Sofia
$290 56.9% $105
Accommodation & Living
Manouba
$155
Sofia
$597 284% $441
Clothing & Footwear
Manouba
$112
Sofia
$154 38.2% $43
Eating Out
Manouba
$74
Sofia
$255 242% $180
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manouba
$74
Sofia
$193 160% $119
Sport & Entertainment
Manouba
$37
Sofia
$66 78.8% $29
Getting Around
Manouba
$13
Sofia
$38 191% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Manouba and $783 in Sofia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Manouba vs $66.0 in Sofia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $290 per month, with Manouba cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Manouba
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
22:24 10:24 PM
00:24 12:24 AM
2 h ahead of Manouba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
58,792
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 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
  • Manouba Sofia 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Manouba
  • 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
Manouba vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Manouba and in Sofia?
Manouba and Sofia differ by about 145% in total monthly costs ($651 vs $1,594 including rent). Manouba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Manouba compared to Sofia?
You'd need roughly $977 in Manouba and $2,391 in Sofia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Manouba and in Sofia?
Rent for a central apartment: $208 in Manouba versus $783 in Sofia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Manouba – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $66.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $651 in Manouba versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manouba but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Manouba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Manouba and Sofia?
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.
Is Manouba or Sofia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Manouba 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.
Where should expats move: Manouba or Sofia?
Expats usually find Manouba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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