Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Akbuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Akbuk: $1,136 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Akbuk
Learn more

Akbuk Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Akbuk

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Akbuk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sofia and in Akbuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $1,136 in Akbuk, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Akbuk $1,136

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $1,819 in Akbuk, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Akbuk $1,819

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $2,501 in Akbuk, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Akbuk $2,501

Sofia costs about 40% more than Akbuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Akbuk is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$9.69 ₺486

71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$57.3 ₺2,876

18.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$8.64 ₺433

35.19%

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$3.47 ₺174

-1.73%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$2.17 ₺109

8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.35 ₺17.69

377.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

$3.90 ₺196

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

$6.11 ₺306

-25.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$1.05 ₺52.7

84.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.96 ₺48.13

61.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$2.33 ₺117

0.86%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$2.24 ₺112

105.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$13.99 ₺702

-18.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$6.06 ₺304

42.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$24.26 ₺1,217

-28.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$1.57 ₺79.0

36.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$2.26 ₺113

-12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$1.42 ₺71.3

28.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$1.36 ₺68.0

213.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$0.78 ₺39.22

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.77 ₺38.80

15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$0.98 ₺49.20

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.70 ₺35.24

18.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$2.84 ₺142

54.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

$12.21 ₺612

-39.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

$2.17 ₺109

-46.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

$3.08 ₺154

-38.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$0.71 ₺35.67

29.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$24.22 ₺1,215

16.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$0.88 ₺43.97

89.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$0.67 ₺33.73

26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$7.98 ₺400

107.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$1.10 ₺55.0

58.18%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$43.6K ₺2.2M

-31.34%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$41.2K ₺2.1M

-39.28%

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

$158 BGN 275

$76.4 ₺3,832

106.62%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$10.53 ₺528

101.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$23.58 ₺1,183

-35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$53.4 ₺2,677

-12.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$23.86 ₺1,197

16.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$7.12 ₺357

40.45%

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$714 ₺35.8K

14.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$12.7K ₺635.5K

15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$73.2 ₺3,669

19.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$35.62 ₺1,787

7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$86.6 ₺4,343

21.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$116 ₺5,821

-7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$424 ₺21.3K

81.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$325 ₺16.3K

82.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$756 ₺37.9K

102.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$550 ₺27.6K

92.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

$1,298 ₺65.1K

248.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

$1,020 ₺51.1K

204.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$716 ₺35.9K

148.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

38.25

-92.44%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Akbuk: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Akbuk

$325 28.6% 45.3% $269

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Akbuk

$275 24.2% 4.4% $13

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Akbuk

$187 16.5% 26.3% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Akbuk

$111 9.7% 43.1% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Akbuk

$140 12.3% 7.9% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Akbuk

$68 6% 1.2% $0.8

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Akbuk

$31 2.8% 17% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $424 in Akbuk. 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 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $57 in Akbuk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $275 – making Akbuk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇹🇷 Akbuk

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

14:10 2:10 PM

1 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

100 TRY = 1.99 USD

100 TRY = 1.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 50.15 TRY (100 TRY = 1.99 USD). 1 EUR = 56.33 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Akbuk 900 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Akbuk

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

Sofia vs Akbuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $1,704 in Akbuk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Akbuk, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $424 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia and $57 in Akbuk. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Akbuk, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Akbuk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Akbuk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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