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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $914 per month in Sanaa vs $1,365 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Sanaa vs $2,143 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,006 per month in Sanaa vs $2,922 in Sofia, rent included.

Sanaa is about 33% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sanaa sits 32% below the global median, while Sofia is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.33 YER 1,499

$11.72 BGN 19.51

-45.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.96 YER 5,433

$49.80 BGN 82.8

-53.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.47 YER 2,479

$8.77 BGN 14.59

19.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

Cappuccino

$3.69 YER 873

$2.63 BGN 4.38

40.30%

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

$1.16 YER 274

$1.78 BGN 2.96

-34.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 YER 111

$1.42 BGN 2.36

-66.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 YER 446

$1.86 BGN 3.09

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 YER 289

$1.20 BGN 2.00

1.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 YER 588

$1.99 BGN 3.31

24.62%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 953

$3.96 BGN 6.58

1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 YER 2,337

$12.18 BGN 20.26

-18.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 YER 1,582

$8.72 BGN 14.51

-23.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.58 YER 4,397

$12.98 BGN 21.60

43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 YER 912

$1.91 BGN 3.18

101.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 YER 329

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-29.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 YER 566

$1.99 BGN 3.31

20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 389

$2.75 BGN 4.57

-40.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 YER 424

$1.12 BGN 1.86

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 YER 384

$1.05 BGN 1.75

54.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 YER 149

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 YER 172

$0.66 BGN 1.10

10.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 YER 958

$3.87 BGN 6.43

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.98 BGN 1.63

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.8 YER 19.4K

$29.45 BGN 48.99

177.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 YER 982

$1.45 BGN 2.40

186.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 YER 953

$0.78 BGN 1.30

416.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 YER 1,661

$14.34 BGN 23.86

-51.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.74 YER 648

$1.57 BGN 2.62

74.52%

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

$16.7K YER 3.9M

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

-48.01%

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

$33.9K YER 8.0M

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

16.81%

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

$71.5 YER 16.9K

$150 BGN 249

-52.27%

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

$13.56 YER 3,209

$17.78 BGN 29.57

-23.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.21 YER 9,042

$15.40 BGN 25.62

148.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.4 YER 16.0K

$43.98 BGN 73.2

53.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.43 YER 3,889

$21.48 BGN 35.73

-23.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 YER 1,394

$9.61 BGN 15.98

-38.71%

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

$112 YER 26.6K

$642 BGN 1,068

-82.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,809 YER 428.2K

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

-80.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.44 YER 9,336

$71.9 BGN 120

-45.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$147 YER 34.8K

$35.78 BGN 59.5

310.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.85 YER 9,668

$107 BGN 178

-61.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.77 YER 9,885

$119 BGN 198

-64.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 YER 39.4K

$695 BGN 1,156

-76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.4 YER 22.6K

$504 BGN 838

-81.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 YER 95.4K

$1,257 BGN 2,091

-67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 YER 61.7K

$893 BGN 1,485

-70.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,070 YER 963.3K

$4,422 BGN 7,356

-7.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 YER 191.1K

$3,336 BGN 5,550

-75.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 YER 45.0K

$1,674 BGN 2,785

-88.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

3.09

264.08%

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

Last update for Sanaa: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Sanaa versus $695 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 780% 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 $23.00 in Sanaa versus $50.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $259 – 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 49% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,371 per month in Sanaa and $2,047 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 7% 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 $23.00 in Sanaa and $50.0 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 $914, than in Sofia at $1,365. 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 $914 versus $1,365 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.