Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Maseru: $658 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Maseru
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Maseru Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Maseru

🇱🇸 Lesotho

$658

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $658 in Maseru versus $1,589 in Sofia.

Maseru $658
Sofia $1,589

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,123 in Maseru versus $2,456 in Sofia.

Maseru $1,123
Sofia $2,456

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,588 in Maseru versus $3,324 in Sofia.

Maseru $1,588
Sofia $3,324

Living in Maseru 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: Maseru is 51% below, Sofia is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 LSL 149

$17.10 BGN 29.93

-47.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.68 LSL 391

$66.9 BGN 117

-64.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LSL 138

$11.77 BGN 20.59

-29.06%

Cappuccino

$2.01 LSL 33.20

$3.42 BGN 5.99

-41.23%

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

$1.05 LSL 17.27

$2.42 BGN 4.23

-56.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LSL 13.18

$1.86 BGN 3.26

-56.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 LSL 28.89

$3.33 BGN 5.83

-47.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LSL 40.61

$4.53 BGN 7.92

-45.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 LSL 19.47

$1.92 BGN 3.36

-38.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 LSL 13.14

$1.51 BGN 2.64

-47.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LSL 29.34

$2.21 BGN 3.88

-19.46%

Eggs

$1.53 LSL 25.23

$4.40 BGN 7.69

-65.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.71 LSL 111

$11.56 BGN 20.22

-41.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 LSL 104

$8.79 BGN 15.38

-28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.20 LSL 102

$16.97 BGN 29.71

-63.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 LSL 31.60

$2.17 BGN 3.79

-11.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 LSL 37.95

$2.04 BGN 3.57

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 LSL 43.54

$1.84 BGN 3.22

43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 LSL 39.02

$4.29 BGN 7.51

-44.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 LSL 26.25

$1.03 BGN 1.80

54.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 LSL 26.75

$0.93 BGN 1.62

74.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 LSL 25.10

$1.20 BGN 2.11

26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 LSL 12.88

$0.92 BGN 1.62

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 LSL 83.0

$4.30 BGN 7.53

16.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 LSL 121

$7.33 BGN 12.83

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 LSL 16.99

$1.18 BGN 2.06

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 LSL 25.15

$1.87 BGN 3.28

-18.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 LSL 12.68

$0.87 BGN 1.52

-11.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.06 LSL 496

$28.14 BGN 49.24

6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 LSL 12.05

$1.74 BGN 3.04

-58.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 LSL 10.36

$0.96 BGN 1.68

-34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 LSL 60.3

$15.54 BGN 27.19

-76.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 LSL 22.02

$1.79 BGN 3.14

-25.70%

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

$20.9K LSL 344.3K

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

-30.40%

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

$16.4K LSL 270.6K

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

-37.81%

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

$156 BGN 273

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

$14.63 LSL 241

$21.21 BGN 37.11

-31.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.63 LSL 621

$15.64 BGN 27.37

140.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.17 LSL 382

$46.76 BGN 81.8

-50.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

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

$51.2 LSL 845

$766 BGN 1,341

-93.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 LSL 19.5K

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

-90.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.25 LSL 763

$89.7 BGN 157

-48.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 LSL 911

$40.88 BGN 71.5

35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 LSL 1,736

$106 BGN 186

-0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 LSL 2,493

$105 BGN 183

44.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LSL 1,525

$796 BGN 1,393

-88.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.8 LSL 920

$607 BGN 1,063

-90.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 LSL 7,025

$1,563 BGN 2,735

-72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LSL 2,851

$1,060 BGN 1,855

-83.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$377 LSL 6,219

$4,357 BGN 7,626

-91.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$514 LSL 8,481

$3,250 BGN 5,688

-84.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 LSL 10.4K

$1,740 BGN 3,044

-63.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

2.89

194.12%

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

Last update for Maseru: October 3, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Maseru

$195 29.3%

Sofia

$287 17.9% 47.1% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Maseru

$161 24.1%

Sofia

$154 9.6% 4.6% $7.4

Eating Out

Maseru

$143 21.4%

Sofia

$256 16% 79.4% $113

Accommodation & Living

Maseru

$56 8.4%

Sofia

$607 37.9% 989% $552

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maseru

$52 * 7.8%

Sofia

$193 12% 269% $141

Getting Around

Maseru

$37 5.6%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 3.1% $1.2

Sport & Entertainment

Maseru

$23 * 3.5%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 188% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $92.4 in Maseru and $796 in Sofia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 176% 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: $24.00 in Maseru vs $67.0 in Sofia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $287 per month, with Maseru cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇸 Maseru

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

06:02 6:02 AM

07:02 7:02 AM

1 h ahead of Maseru

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

227,880 Capital

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Lesotho Loti LSL L

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 LSL = 6.06 USD

100 LSL = 5.4 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to LSL – Lesotho Loti Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇸 Lesotho Loti (L)

Lesotho Loti exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 LSL (100 LSL = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 LSL (100 LSL = 5.4 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 LSL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Maseru Sofia 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Maseru
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

Maseru vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maseru and Sofia differ by about 141% in total monthly costs ($658 vs $1,589 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 176% 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: $92.4 in Maseru versus $796 in Sofia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $67.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $658 per month in Maseru versus $1,589 in Sofia – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $658 in Maseru versus $1,589 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru 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, Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.