Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mataro and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,594 a month against $1,845 in Mataro, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mataro
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,845
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,845 per month in Mataro vs $1,594 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Mataro $1,845
  • Sofia $1,594

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Mataro vs $2,478 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Mataro $2,691
  • Sofia $2,478

A family of three spends $3,536 per month in Mataro vs $3,361 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Mataro $3,536
  • Sofia $3,361

Mataro costs about 16% more than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mataro and Sofia sit above the global median – Mataro by 37%, Sofia by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.49 €14.67
$16.87 BGN 29.35
-2.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.6 €50.3
$65.8 BGN 115
-14.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.31 €11.84
$11.32 BGN 19.69
17.58%
Cappuccino
$2.11 €1.88
$3.43 BGN 5.98
-38.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 €2.06
$2.41 BGN 4.19
-3.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 €1.72
$1.85 BGN 3.22
4.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.88 €3.45
$3.70 BGN 6.44
4.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 €2.93
$4.58 BGN 7.97
-28.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.02 BGN 3.51
-42.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 €1.77
$1.56 BGN 2.72
27.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 €1.33
$2.33 BGN 4.05
-35.62%
Eggs
$3.90 €3.47
$4.36 BGN 7.59
-10.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.98
$11.76 BGN 20.47
43.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.84 €7.86
$8.83 BGN 15.37
0.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.92 €17.72
$17.46 BGN 30.38
14.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 €2.41
$2.15 BGN 3.74
26.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 €1.81
$1.98 BGN 3.44
3.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$1.93 BGN 3.37
34.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.74 €2.44
$4.24 BGN 7.37
-35.38%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.04 BGN 1.80
93.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 €2.02
$0.85 BGN 1.48
167.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.15 BGN 2.00
33.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.89 BGN 1.56
-1.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.32 €5.62
$4.21 BGN 7.33
50.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.43 €4.83
$7.46 BGN 12.98
-27.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.02
$1.15 BGN 2.01
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.03
$1.85 BGN 3.23
23.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.57 €2.28
$0.87 BGN 1.51
195.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.25 €31.35
$28.53 BGN 49.65
23.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.31 €2.06
$1.68 BGN 2.93
37.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.91
$0.94 BGN 1.63
8.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.23 €25.99
$15.35 BGN 26.70
90.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 €1.59
$1.69 BGN 2.94
5.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K €30.7K
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
15.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4K €25.3K
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
8.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 €161
$156 BGN 272
15.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.10 €10.77
$21.56 BGN 37.52
-43.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.95 €25.75
$15.24 BGN 26.51
89.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 €54.0
$46.08 BGN 80.2
31.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.94 €12.40
$27.92 BGN 48.58
-50.07%
Cinema Ticket
$10.51 €9.35
$10.18 BGN 17.72
3.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$498 €443
$774 BGN 1,347
-35.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,969 €7,088
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
-37.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2 €77.6
$89.9 BGN 157
-3.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.03 €34.71
$41.29 BGN 71.8
-5.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.8 €86.9
$105 BGN 183
-7.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 €99.5
$107 BGN 186
4.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$954 €849
$783 BGN 1,362
21.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$791 €704
$597 BGN 1,038
32.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,350 €1,200
$1,516 BGN 2,638
-11.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,179 €1,048
$1,030 BGN 1,792
14.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,404 €3,028
$4,350 BGN 7,568
-21.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,818 €2,506
$3,177 BGN 5,528
-11.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mataro
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,889 €1,680
$1,735 BGN 3,019
8.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.28
2.89
13.49%

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

Last update for Mataro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mataro
$791
Sofia
$597 24.6% $194
Groceries & Markets
Mataro
$306
Sofia
$290 5.1% $16
Eating Out
Mataro
$240
Sofia
$255 6.1% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mataro
$222
Sofia
$193 13% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Mataro
$151
Sofia
$154 2.1% $3.2
Sport & Entertainment
Mataro
$82
Sofia
$66 18.7% $15
Getting Around
Mataro
$53
Sofia
$38 27.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $954 in Mataro 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 9% higher in Mataro, 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 $57.0 in Mataro versus $66.0 in Sofia. Groceries tell a different story – $306 in Mataro vs $290 in Sofia – so Sofia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇸 Mataro
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
20:38 8:38 PM
21:38 9:38 PM
1 h ahead of Mataro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
129,870
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

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
  • Mataro Sofia 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mataro
  • 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
Mataro vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mataro and in Sofia compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,845 in Mataro, $1,594 in Sofia – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Mataro compared to Sofia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,768 per month in Mataro 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 Mataro and Sofia?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sofia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Mataro and in Sofia?
Public transport costs about 24% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mataro and Sofia?
Kindergarten costs $498 per month in Mataro and $774 in Sofia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,594, than in Mataro at $1,845. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mataro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Mataro and Sofia?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,594 in Sofia to $1,845 in Mataro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Mataro 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 Mataro and Sofia?
If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mataro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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