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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Sanaa vs $1,373 in Sofia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Sanaa vs $2,132 in Sofia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,032 per month in Sanaa vs $2,892 in Sofia, rent included.

Sanaa is about 34% cheaper than Sofia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sanaa sits 33% below the global median, while Sofia is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.11 YER 1,455

$11.89 BGN 19.78

-48.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.83 YER 5,440

$50.6 BGN 84.2

-54.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 YER 2,418

$8.76 BGN 14.57

15.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$3.72 YER 888

$2.60 BGN 4.32

43.08%

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

$1.14 YER 273

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-34.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 YER 110

$1.43 BGN 2.38

-67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 YER 455

$1.94 BGN 3.23

-1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 YER 287

$1.20 BGN 2.00

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 YER 589

$1.99 BGN 3.31

24.12%

Eggs

$4.03 YER 959

$3.82 BGN 6.35

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 YER 2,350

$12.54 BGN 20.86

-21.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 YER 1,625

$8.74 BGN 14.55

-21.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.15 YER 4,563

$13.29 BGN 22.11

44.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 YER 933

$1.90 BGN 3.16

106.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 YER 344

$1.90 BGN 3.16

-24.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 YER 574

$2.00 BGN 3.33

20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 YER 391

$2.84 BGN 4.73

-42.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 YER 405

$1.10 BGN 1.83

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 YER 374

$1.02 BGN 1.69

53.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 YER 151

$1.18 BGN 1.96

-45.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 YER 176

$0.66 BGN 1.10

12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 YER 932

$3.81 BGN 6.33

2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 YER 101

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-54.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 YER 19.6K

$29.72 BGN 49.45

176.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 YER 1,004

$1.49 BGN 2.48

182.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 YER 952

$0.76 BGN 1.27

425.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 YER 1,745

$14.34 BGN 23.86

-48.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.68 YER 640

$1.51 BGN 2.51

77.48%

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

$16.4K YER 3.9M

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-49.41%

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

$33.5K YER 8.0M

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

17.99%

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

$72.3 YER 17.2K

$154 BGN 256

-53.04%

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

$13.70 YER 3,266

$18.05 BGN 30.04

-24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.45 YER 9,163

$14.97 BGN 24.90

156.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.6 YER 15.9K

$44.03 BGN 73.3

51.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 YER 3,975

$21.88 BGN 36.40

-23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 YER 1,405

$9.24 BGN 15.37

-36.15%

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

$116 YER 27.5K

$624 BGN 1,037

-81.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,808 YER 430.7K

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

-80.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.29 YER 9,363

$71.3 BGN 119

-44.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$148 YER 35.2K

$35.76 BGN 59.5

313.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.65 YER 9,924

$105 BGN 175

-60.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 YER 10.1K

$119 BGN 198

-64.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 YER 39.8K

$696 BGN 1,157

-75.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$95.3 YER 22.7K

$501 BGN 834

-80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 YER 97.8K

$1,296 BGN 2,157

-68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 YER 63.2K

$910 BGN 1,513

-70.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 YER 982.5K

$4,510 BGN 7,502

-8.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$819 YER 195.1K

$3,161 BGN 5,258

-74.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.5K

$1,674 BGN 2,786

-88.59%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Sanaa versus $696 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 776% 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 $51.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $261 – 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 53% 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 $1,350 per month in Sanaa and $2,060 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 $51.0 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 $900, than in Sofia at $1,373. 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 $900 versus $1,373 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.