Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Antalya

For one person, living is cheaper in Antalya: $1,264 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia, Bulgaria
Antalya, Turkey
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,585
/mo nomad
Antalya
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,264
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Antalya

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 Antalya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $1,264 in Antalya, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,585
  • Antalya $1,264

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $1,907 in Antalya, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,486
  • Antalya $1,907

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $2,550 in Antalya, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,387
  • Antalya $2,550

Sofia costs about 25% more than Antalya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Antalya is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.57 BGN 28.84
$10.12 ₺508
63.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.7 BGN 118
$42.50 ₺2,132
59.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.68 BGN 20.33
$8.88 ₺445
31.53%
Cappuccino
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$4.26 ₺213
-19.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 BGN 4.11
$2.03 ₺102
16.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 BGN 2.91
$0.58 ₺29.25
187.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.99 BGN 6.94
$3.60 ₺181
10.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 BGN 7.88
$4.95 ₺248
-8.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 BGN 3.38
$1.05 ₺52.6
84.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 BGN 2.70
$0.98 ₺49.20
58.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.35 BGN 4.09
$1.91 ₺95.7
23.04%
Eggs
$4.60 BGN 8.00
$2.51 ₺126
83.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.47 BGN 19.96
$8.94 ₺448
28.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.65 BGN 15.04
$4.91 ₺246
76.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.34 BGN 30.17
$19.72 ₺989
-12.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.73
$1.71 ₺85.6
25.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.45
$1.87 ₺93.8
5.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.83 BGN 3.18
$1.02 ₺50.9
79.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 BGN 7.43
$1.45 ₺72.9
194.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.82
$0.65 ₺32.58
60.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.89 BGN 1.54
$0.60 ₺30.28
48.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.06
$0.89 ₺44.78
33.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 BGN 1.45
$0.65 ₺32.48
27.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40 BGN 7.66
$2.28 ₺114
92.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.42 BGN 12.91
$9.84 ₺493
-24.59%
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
$2.95 ₺148
-35.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 BGN 1.60
$0.82 ₺40.92
12.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.11 BGN 48.91
$51.3 ₺2,572
-45.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.67 BGN 2.90
$0.76 ₺38.24
119.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 BGN 1.49
$0.97 ₺48.66
-12.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.59 BGN 28.87
$4.94 ₺248
235.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.74 BGN 3.03
$1.42 ₺71.2
22.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K BGN 52.1K
$47.2K ₺2.4M
-36.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K BGN 43.5K
$39.3K ₺2.0M
-36.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 BGN 275
$71.8 ₺3,602
119.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.27 BGN 37.01
$11.39 ₺571
86.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.12 BGN 26.30
$15.54 ₺779
-2.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.85 BGN 81.5
$54.6 ₺2,737
-14.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.82 BGN 48.41
$21.45 ₺1,076
29.70%
Cinema Ticket
$10.00 BGN 17.39
$7.91 ₺397
26.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$815 BGN 1,419
$684 ₺34.3K
19.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K BGN 25.5K
$18.0K ₺903.6K
-18.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 BGN 152
$47.55 ₺2,385
83.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.28 BGN 66.6
$32.44 ₺1,627
18.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 BGN 184
$97.6 ₺4,896
8.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 187
$81.4 ₺4,082
31.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$769 BGN 1,338
$608 ₺30.5K
26.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$593 BGN 1,032
$490 ₺24.6K
21.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,530 BGN 2,662
$974 ₺48.9K
56.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,061 BGN 1,846
$757 ₺38.0K
40.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,526 BGN 7,875
$2,023 ₺101.5K
123.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,109 BGN 5,410
$1,410 ₺70.7K
120.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Antalya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,780 BGN 3,098
$957 ₺48.0K
86.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
40.44
-92.85%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Antalya: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$593
Antalya
$490 17.4% $103
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$288
Antalya
$231 19.9% $57
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Antalya
$197 22.3% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Antalya
$99 49.2% $96
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$152
Antalya
$117 23.4% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$67
Antalya
$70 5.3% $3.5
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Antalya
$60 59.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $608 in Antalya. 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 86% higher in Sofia. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $43 in Antalya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $231 – making Antalya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇹🇷 Antalya
🕒 Local time
06:34 6:34 AM
07:34 7:34 AM
1 h ahead of Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
2,722,103
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

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 = 56.3 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Antalya 900 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Antalya

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 Antalya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antalya cheaper than Sofia?
Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $1,895 in Antalya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Antalya, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $608 there versus $769 in Sofia.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Antalya?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,585 in Sofia and $1,264 in Antalya. That makes Antalya about 20% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 45% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Antalya?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Antalya, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Antalya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sofia or Antalya more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Antalya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Antalya?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Antalya. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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