For one person, living is cheaper in Aydin: $936 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
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 Aydin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,585 in Sofia versus $936 in Aydin.
Sofia $1,585
Aydin $936
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,486 in Sofia versus $1,467 in Aydin.
Sofia $2,486
Aydin $1,467
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Sofia versus $1,999 in Aydin.
Sofia $3,387
Aydin $1,999
🌍
Living in Sofia is roughly 69% more expensive than in Aydin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 17% above, Aydin is 31% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.57BGN 28.84
$5.96₺299
178.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.7BGN 118
$27.28₺1,368
148.09%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.68BGN 20.33
$8.20₺411
42.44%
Cappuccino
$3.41BGN 5.93
$3.18₺159
7.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36BGN 4.11
$1.23₺61.5
91.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67BGN 2.91
$0.32₺15.99
421.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.99BGN 6.94
$2.97₺149
34.34%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53BGN 7.88
$3.33₺167
36.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94BGN 3.38
$1.05₺52.9
84.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55BGN 2.70
$1.02₺51.0
51.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.35BGN 4.09
$2.28₺114
3.07%
Eggs
$4.60BGN 8.00
$2.34₺118
96.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.47BGN 19.96
$8.95₺449
28.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.65BGN 15.04
$2.85₺143
203.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.34BGN 30.17
$21.44₺1,075
-19.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.15BGN 3.73
$1.83₺91.8
17.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.98BGN 3.45
$1.91₺95.8
3.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.83BGN 3.18
$1.01₺50.7
81.19%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.27BGN 7.43
$1.16₺58.3
268.10%
Potato(1kg)
$1.04BGN 1.82
$0.54₺27.26
92.59%
Onion(1kg)
$0.89BGN 1.54
$0.40₺20.24
122.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19BGN 2.06
$0.81₺40.83
46.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83BGN 1.45
$0.77₺38.47
7.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.40BGN 7.66
$2.23₺112
97.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.42BGN 12.91
$8.08₺405
-8.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16BGN 2.01
$2.11₺106
-45.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90BGN 3.30
$2.72₺137
-30.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.92BGN 1.60
$0.44₺21.96
109.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.11BGN 48.91
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-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.67BGN 2.90
$2.34₺117
-28.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.85BGN 1.49
$1.10₺55.0
-22.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.59BGN 28.87
$4.94₺248
235.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74BGN 3.03
$1.31₺65.6
32.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9KBGN 52.1K
$40.5K₺2.0M
-26.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0KBGN 43.5K
$39.0K₺2.0M
-35.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$158BGN 275
$59.2₺2,967
166.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.27BGN 37.01
$8.80₺441
141.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.12BGN 26.30
$11.98₺601
26.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.85BGN 81.5
$25.24₺1,266
85.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.82BGN 48.41
$5.02₺252
454.18%
Cinema Ticket
$10.00BGN 17.39
$8.12₺407
23.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$815BGN 1,419
$420₺21.1K
94.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.6KBGN 25.5K
$7,039₺353.0K
108.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1BGN 152
$46.10₺2,312
88.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.28BGN 66.6
$35.58₺1,785
7.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106BGN 184
$92.0₺4,615
14.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107BGN 187
$71.1₺3,566
50.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$769BGN 1,338
$403₺20.2K
90.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$593BGN 1,032
$334₺16.8K
77.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,530BGN 2,662
$752₺37.7K
103.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,061BGN 1,846
$634₺31.8K
67.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,526BGN 7,875
$2,010₺100.8K
125.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,109BGN 5,410
$1,391₺69.8K
123.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Aydin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,780BGN 3,098
$1,070₺53.7K
66.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
2.89
41.22
-92.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026
Last update for Aydin: November 1, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$593 37.4%
Aydin
$334 35.7% ↓ 43.6%$259
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$288 18.2%
Aydin
$222 23.7% ↓ 22.8%$66
🍽Eating Out
Sofia
$254 16%
Aydin
$138 14.8% ↓ 45.6%$116
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194 12.3%
Aydin
$80 8.5% ↓ 58.8%$114
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$152 9.6%
Aydin
$110 11.8% ↓ 27.6%$42
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$67 4.2%
Aydin
$41 4.4% ↓ 38%$25
🚌Getting Around
Sofia
$38 2.4%
Aydin
$9.6 * 1% ↓ 74.6%$28
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$1.1K 31.3%
Aydin
$634 31.7% ↓ 40.3%$427
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$683 20.2%
Aydin
$517 25.8% ↓ 24.4%$167
🍽Eating Out
Sofia
$851 25.1%
Aydin
$407 20.4% ↓ 52.1%$444
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$216 6.4%
Aydin
$89 4.4% ↓ 58.8%$127
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$338 10%
Aydin
$245 12.3% ↓ 27.6%$93
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$162 4.8%
Aydin
$88 4.4% ↓ 45.5%$74
🚌Getting Around
Sofia
$77 2.3%
Aydin
$20 * 1% ↓ 74.1%$57
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Sofia and $403 in Aydin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Sofia pays 66% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $68 in Sofia vs $27 in Aydin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $222 per month, with Aydin cheaper across the board.
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 Aydin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sofia and in Aydin?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,585 in Sofia and $936 in Aydin, so Aydin is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sofia or Aydin?
Average pay runs 66% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Sofia and in Aydin?
Rent for a central apartment: $769 in Sofia versus $403 in Aydin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sofia or Aydin?
All in, you’ll spend $1,585 per month in Sofia versus $936 in Aydin – Aydin is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $936 in Aydin versus $1,585 in Sofia, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Aydin but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Aydin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Aydin?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Sofia or Aydin safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Aydin are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Sofia and Aydin?
It comes down to priorities – Aydin wins on affordability, Sofia on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.