Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Sofia Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanaa and Sofia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Sanaa vs $1,650 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Sanaa vs $2,556 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Sanaa vs $3,462 in Sofia, rent included.

Sanaa is about 38% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sanaa sits 26% below the global median, while Sofia is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.18 YER 1,462

$17.41 BGN 28.96

-64.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 YER 6,068

$65.4 BGN 109

-60.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 YER 2,312

$12.17 BGN 20.25

-19.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 582

Cappuccino

$3.79 YER 897

$3.63 BGN 6.05

4.41%

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

$1.18 YER 280

$2.36 BGN 3.92

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 YER 153

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 YER 472

$2.01 BGN 3.35

-1.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 YER 403

$1.62 BGN 2.69

4.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 486

$2.42 BGN 4.02

-15.29%

Eggs

$3.53 YER 836

$4.41 BGN 7.33

-19.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 YER 4,038

$11.80 BGN 19.64

44.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 YER 2,001

$9.25 BGN 15.39

-8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 YER 4,391

$17.23 BGN 28.66

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 YER 809

$2.17 BGN 3.61

57.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 YER 241

$2.05 BGN 3.41

-50.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 YER 523

$1.93 BGN 3.21

14.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 YER 369

$4.22 BGN 7.03

-63.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$1.15 BGN 1.91

27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 YER 312

$1.00 BGN 1.66

32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 YER 283

$1.18 BGN 1.97

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 YER 150

$0.90 BGN 1.50

-30.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 YER 786

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 YER 422

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 812

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 YER 1,309

$4.33 BGN 7.21

27.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 YER 103

$0.92 BGN 1.52

-52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.5 YER 19.8K

$30.12 BGN 50.1

177.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 YER 1,009

$1.88 BGN 3.12

126.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 YER 505

$0.91 BGN 1.52

134.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 YER 1,769

$16.21 BGN 26.96

-53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 YER 479

$1.76 BGN 2.94

14.77%

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

$17.1K YER 4.0M

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

-45.52%

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

$35.4K YER 8.4M

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

29.23%

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

$109 YER 25.9K

$170 BGN 283

-35.66%

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

$23.95 YER 5,669

$22.02 BGN 36.64

8.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 YER 23.8K

$15.43 BGN 25.67

551.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 YER 15.6K

$47.50 BGN 79.0

38.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 YER 3,768

$29.53 BGN 49.13

-46.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 YER 1,384

$10.33 BGN 17.18

-43.37%

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

$114 YER 27.0K

$799 BGN 1,330

-85.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,204 YER 521.7K

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

-83.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 YER 9,943

$88.5 BGN 147

-52.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.9K

$42.54 BGN 70.8

186.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.26 YER 11.2K

$108 BGN 179

-56.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.14 YER 9,501

$112 BGN 187

-64.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 YER 51.5K

$784 BGN 1,305

-72.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.3 YER 22.8K

$622 BGN 1,034

-84.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 YER 96.5K

$1,576 BGN 2,622

-74.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 YER 63.7K

$1,073 BGN 1,785

-74.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,221 YER 999.2K

$4,637 BGN 7,714

-8.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 YER 188.7K

$3,355 BGN 5,581

-76.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.2K

$1,742 BGN 2,898

-89.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

2.9

287.93%

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

Last update for Sanaa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Sanaa versus $784 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 813% 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 $26.00 in Sanaa versus $65.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $295 – making Sanaa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sanaa vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 61% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,535 per month in Sanaa and $2,475 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanaa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sanaa and $65.0 in Sofia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Sofia at $1,650. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sanaa costs $1,024 versus $1,650 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 Sanaa. 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.