Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,594 a month against $3,372 in Meilen, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

163

Cost of Living Index in Meilen
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Meilen Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Meilen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,372

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,372 per month in Meilen vs $1,594 in Sofia, rent included.

Meilen $3,372
Sofia $1,594

A couple spends around $5,942 per month in Meilen vs $2,478 in Sofia, rent included.

Meilen $5,942
Sofia $2,478

A family of three spends $8,512 per month in Meilen vs $3,361 in Sofia, rent included.

Meilen $8,512
Sofia $3,361

Meilen costs about 112% more than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Meilen and Sofia sit above the global median – Meilen by 150%, Sofia by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$32.47 CHF 26.74

$16.87 BGN 29.35

92.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 101

$65.8 BGN 115

86.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.33 CHF 13.45

$11.32 BGN 19.69

44.26%

Cappuccino

$6.31 CHF 5.19

$3.43 BGN 5.98

83.97%

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

$5.68 CHF 4.67

$2.41 BGN 4.19

135.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 CHF 4.13

$1.85 BGN 3.22

170.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 CHF 6.97

$3.70 BGN 6.44

128.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 CHF 6.83

$4.58 BGN 7.97

81.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.02 BGN 3.51

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.69

$1.56 BGN 2.72

109.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CHF 3.11

$2.33 BGN 4.05

62.23%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.17

$4.36 BGN 7.59

71.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.56 CHF 21.87

$11.76 BGN 20.47

125.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.69 CHF 21.16

$8.83 BGN 15.37

190.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.25 CHF 33.15

$17.46 BGN 30.38

130.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 CHF 2.82

$2.15 BGN 3.74

59.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 CHF 1.67

$1.98 BGN 3.44

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.20

$1.93 BGN 3.37

38.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 CHF 3.77

$4.24 BGN 7.37

8.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CHF 1.61

$1.04 BGN 1.80

88.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.78

$0.85 BGN 1.48

154.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 CHF 1.91

$1.15 BGN 2.00

101.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 CHF 1.03

$0.89 BGN 1.56

40.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.03 CHF 9.09

$4.21 BGN 7.33

162.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 CHF 10.91

$7.46 BGN 12.98

77.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$1.15 BGN 2.01

96.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.66

$1.85 BGN 3.23

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 CHF 3.78

$0.87 BGN 1.51

427.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.8 CHF 79.7

$28.53 BGN 49.65

239.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 CHF 6.21

$1.68 BGN 2.93

349.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.50 CHF 3.71

$0.94 BGN 1.63

378.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 72.5

$15.35 BGN 26.70

473.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$1.69 BGN 2.94

33.73%

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

$38.7K CHF 31.9K

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

29.78%

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

$39.4K CHF 32.5K

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

50.82%

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

$235 CHF 194

$156 BGN 272

50.79%

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

$36.06 CHF 29.70

$21.56 BGN 37.52

67.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 CHF 53.8

$15.24 BGN 26.51

328.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.1 CHF 72.6

$46.08 BGN 80.2

91.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.50 CHF 36.65

$27.92 BGN 48.58

59.38%

Cinema Ticket

$21.90 CHF 18.04

$10.18 BGN 17.72

115.13%

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

$2,816 CHF 2,319

$774 BGN 1,347

263.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K CHF 34.8K

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

229.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 113

$89.9 BGN 157

52.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 CHF 48.77

$41.29 BGN 71.8

43.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 CHF 118

$105 BGN 183

36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 CHF 143

$107 BGN 186

62.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 CHF 1,392

$783 BGN 1,362

115.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 CHF 1,211

$597 BGN 1,038

146.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,831 CHF 2,332

$1,516 BGN 2,638

86.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,065 CHF 3,348

$1,030 BGN 1,792

294.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 13.0K

$4,350 BGN 7,568

262.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,812

$3,177 BGN 5,528

274.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,259 CHF 6,802

$1,735 BGN 3,019

375.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.89

-40.48%

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

Last update for Meilen: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Meilen

$1.5K 43.6%

Sofia

$597 37.4% 59.4% $874

Groceries & Markets

Meilen

$570 16.9%

Sofia

$290 18.2% 49.1% $280

Eating Out

Meilen

$486 14.4%

Sofia

$255 16% 47.6% $231

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Meilen

$337 10%

Sofia

$193 12.1% 42.7% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Meilen

$231 6.9%

Sofia

$154 9.7% 33.3% $77

Getting Around

Meilen

$145 4.3%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 73.6% $107

Sport & Entertainment

Meilen

$132 3.9%

Sofia

$66 4.2% 49.6% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,690 in Meilen 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 376% higher in Meilen, 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 $122 in Meilen versus $66.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $290 – making Sofia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Meilen

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

15:36 3:36 PM

16:36 4:36 PM

1 h ahead of Meilen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,515

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 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).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Meilen Sofia 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Meilen
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

Meilen vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen costs about 112% more than Sofia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,059 per month in Meilen and $2,391 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 239% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,816 per month in Meilen and $774 in Sofia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,594, than in Meilen at $3,372. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meilen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sofia costs $1,594 versus $3,372 in Meilen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meilen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.