Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Prilep and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Prilep: $728 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Prilep
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Prilep Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

Jump to prices

Prilep

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$728

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $728 per month in Prilep vs $1,594 in Sofia, rent included.

Prilep $728
Sofia $1,594

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Prilep vs $2,478 in Sofia, rent included.

Prilep $1,102
Sofia $2,478

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Prilep vs $3,361 in Sofia, rent included.

Prilep $1,475
Sofia $3,361

Prilep is about 54% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Prilep sits 46% below the global median, while Sofia is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 MKD 219

$16.87 BGN 29.35

-76.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.36 MKD 1,493

$65.8 BGN 115

-58.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 MKD 311

$11.32 BGN 19.69

-49.73%

Cappuccino

$1.40 MKD 76.2

$3.43 BGN 5.98

-59.18%

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

$1.53 MKD 83.7

$2.41 BGN 4.19

-36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MKD 67.7

$1.85 BGN 3.22

-32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 MKD 86.0

$3.70 BGN 6.44

-57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 MKD 111

$4.58 BGN 7.97

-55.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 MKD 61.4

$2.02 BGN 3.51

-44.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 39.21

$1.56 BGN 2.72

-53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 83.5

$2.33 BGN 4.05

-34.33%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 110

$4.36 BGN 7.59

-53.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.91 MKD 377

$11.76 BGN 20.47

-41.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.86 MKD 320

$8.83 BGN 15.37

-33.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 MKD 594

$17.46 BGN 30.38

-37.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 47.62

$2.15 BGN 3.74

-59.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 75.5

$1.98 BGN 3.44

-30.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 51.1

$1.93 BGN 3.37

-51.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 71.2

$4.24 BGN 7.37

-69.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 42.29

$1.04 BGN 1.80

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 42.04

$0.85 BGN 1.48

-9.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 32.01

$1.15 BGN 2.00

-48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MKD 24.62

$0.89 BGN 1.56

-49.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 MKD 156

$4.21 BGN 7.33

-32.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 MKD 269

$7.46 BGN 12.98

-33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 51.8

$1.15 BGN 2.01

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 MKD 64.6

$1.85 BGN 3.23

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MKD 20.43

$0.87 BGN 1.51

-57.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.48 MKD 1,008

$28.53 BGN 49.65

-35.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 MKD 57.8

$1.68 BGN 2.93

-36.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 MKD 32.82

$0.94 BGN 1.63

-36.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 355

$15.35 BGN 26.70

-57.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 79.7

$1.69 BGN 2.94

-13.61%

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

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

11.79%

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

$26.9K MKD 1.5M

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

2.87%

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

$121 MKD 6,627

$156 BGN 272

-22.17%

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

$16.81 MKD 917

$21.56 BGN 37.52

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.98 MKD 763

$15.24 BGN 26.51

-8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.64 MKD 1,072

$46.08 BGN 80.2

-57.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.20 MKD 448

$27.92 BGN 48.58

-70.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MKD 290

$10.18 BGN 17.72

-47.84%

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

$277 MKD 15.1K

$774 BGN 1,347

-64.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,161 MKD 63.3K

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

-90.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.80 MKD 2,008

$89.9 BGN 157

-59.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.16 MKD 1,973

$41.29 BGN 71.8

-12.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 MKD 3,562

$105 BGN 183

-37.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 MKD 4,229

$107 BGN 186

-27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 MKD 12.7K

$783 BGN 1,362

-70.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 MKD 9,201

$597 BGN 1,038

-71.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 MKD 27.1K

$1,516 BGN 2,638

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MKD 14.8K

$1,030 BGN 1,792

-73.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,021 MKD 55.7K

$4,350 BGN 7,568

-76.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$813 MKD 44.3K

$3,177 BGN 5,528

-74.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 MKD 32.0K

$1,735 BGN 3,019

-66.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

2.89

46.37%

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

Last update for Prilep: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Prilep

$169 23.2%

Sofia

$597 37.4% 254% $428

Groceries & Markets

Prilep

$167 22.9%

Sofia

$290 18.2% 74.1% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Prilep

$152 20.9%

Sofia

$193 12.1% 26.7% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Prilep

$97 13.3%

Sofia

$154 9.7% 59% $57

Eating Out

Prilep

$89 12.2%

Sofia

$255 16% 186% $166

Sport & Entertainment

Prilep

$30 4.2%

Sofia

$66 4.2% 120% $36

Getting Around

Prilep

$24 3.3%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 59.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $233 in Prilep 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 196% higher in Sofia, 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 $27.00 in Prilep versus $66.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $290 – making Prilep the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Prilep

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

1 h ahead of Prilep

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,308

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Prilep Sofia 210 km

From you

Prilep
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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

Prilep vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 119% more than Prilep, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Prilep 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 Prilep, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $277 per month in Prilep and $774 in Sofia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prilep, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Prilep it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prilep costs $728 versus $1,594 in Sofia. 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 Prilep. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.