Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Qarshi and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Qarshi: $569 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Qarshi

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

$569

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $569 per month in Qarshi vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

Qarshi $569
Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $877 per month in Qarshi vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

Qarshi $877
Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $1,186 per month in Qarshi vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

Qarshi $1,186
Sofia $3,387

Qarshi is about 64% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Qarshi sits 58% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 UZS 121.1K

$16.57 BGN 28.84

-38.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.78 UZS 200.9K

$67.7 BGN 118

-75.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 UZS 111.7K

$11.68 BGN 20.33

-20.12%

Cappuccino

$0.98 UZS 11.7K

$3.41 BGN 5.93

-71.26%

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

$0.52 UZS 6,190

$2.36 BGN 4.11

-77.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 UZS 2,282

$1.67 BGN 2.91

-88.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 UZS 8,317

$3.99 BGN 6.94

-82.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UZS 14.4K

$1.94 BGN 3.38

-37.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 UZS 5,268

$1.55 BGN 2.70

-71.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 UZS 14.3K

$2.35 BGN 4.09

-49.36%

Eggs

$1.53 UZS 18.3K

$4.60 BGN 8.00

-66.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 UZS 120.8K

$11.47 BGN 19.96

-12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 UZS 39.0K

$8.65 BGN 15.04

-62.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 UZS 129.2K

$17.34 BGN 30.17

-37.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.11 UZS 13.3K

$2.15 BGN 3.73

-48.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 UZS 20.2K

$1.98 BGN 3.45

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 UZS 22.2K

$1.83 BGN 3.18

1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 UZS 15.2K

$4.27 BGN 7.43

-70.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 UZS 5,790

$1.04 BGN 1.82

-53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.24 UZS 2,872

$0.89 BGN 1.54

-73.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 UZS 5,160

$0.83 BGN 1.45

-48.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 UZS 39.7K

$4.40 BGN 7.66

-24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 UZS 3,141

$0.92 BGN 1.60

-71.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.75 UZS 116.8K

$28.11 BGN 48.91

-65.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 UZS 4,132

$0.85 BGN 1.49

-58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 UZS 16.0K

$1.74 BGN 3.03

-23.56%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

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

$66.0 UZS 790.9K

$158 BGN 275

-58.17%

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

$3.85 UZS 46.1K

$21.27 BGN 37.01

-81.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.42 UZS 148.8K

$15.12 BGN 26.30

-17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.04 UZS 407.6K

$46.85 BGN 81.5

-27.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

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

$815 BGN 1,419

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,537 UZS 54.3M

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

-69.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 UZS 3.3M

$769 BGN 1,338

-63.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 UZS 2.0M

$593 BGN 1,032

-71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 UZS 5.1M

$1,530 BGN 2,662

-72.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 UZS 3.7M

$1,061 BGN 1,846

-70.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$346 UZS 4.1M

$1,780 BGN 3,098

-80.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

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

Last update for Qarshi: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Groceries & Markets

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Eating Out

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$254 16%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Getting Around

Qarshi

–

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Qarshi versus $769 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 in Sofia are about 5.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17 in Qarshi versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $143 vs $288 – making Qarshi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇿 Qarshi

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

07:32 7:32 AM

04:32 4:32 AM

3 h behind Qarshi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

289,600

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Uzbekistani Som UZS soʻm

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD

100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.514 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to UZS – Uzbekistani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇿 Uzbekistani Som (soʻm)

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 11,975 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD). 1 EUR = 13,383 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.94 BGN (1 BGN = 0.514 EUR).

USD to UZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Qarshi Sofia 3,560 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Qarshi
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

Qarshi vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 179%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $853 per month in Qarshi and $2,378 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qarshi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Qarshi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 102% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qarshi, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Qarshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $569 in Qarshi to $1,585 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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