Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Benesov

For one person, living costs are similar in Sofia and in Benesov: $1,600 and $1,529 a month, rent and utilities included.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Benesov
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Benesov Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,600

/mo nomad

Benesov

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$1,529

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Benesov

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

A single person spends $1,600 per month in Sofia vs $1,529 in Benesov, rent included.

Sofia $1,600
Benesov $1,529

A couple spends around $2,490 per month in Sofia vs $2,132 in Benesov, rent included.

Sofia $2,490
Benesov $2,132

A family of three spends $3,380 per month in Sofia vs $2,736 in Benesov, rent included.

Sofia $3,380
Benesov $2,736

Sofia costs about 5% more than Benesov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sofia and Benesov sit above the global median – Sofia by 18%, Benesov by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.96 BGN 29.51

$6.32 Kč 137

168.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 BGN 119

$25.90 Kč 560

163.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 BGN 20.21

$9.19 Kč 199

26.44%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$2.13 Kč 46.11

61.03%

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

$2.34 BGN 4.08

$1.36 Kč 29.39

72.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.19

$0.65 Kč 14.14

181.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$1.55 Kč 33.63

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 BGN 7.73

$1.71 Kč 36.88

159.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 BGN 3.42

$0.98 Kč 21.19

101.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 BGN 2.59

$1.20 Kč 25.96

24.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.88 Kč 40.58

23.94%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.68

$1.79 Kč 38.61

146.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 BGN 20.08

$7.15 Kč 155

61.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 BGN 15.44

$7.37 Kč 159

20.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.51 BGN 30.46

$16.41 Kč 355

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.62 Kč 35.05

32.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.60

$1.16 Kč 25.12

78.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.39 Kč 30.03

38.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 BGN 7.39

$2.23 Kč 48.25

90.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$0.96 Kč 20.85

7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.08 Kč 23.44

-18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.07

$0.71 Kč 15.38

67.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$0.76 Kč 16.43

17.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 BGN 7.35

$5.60 Kč 121

-24.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 BGN 13.69

$5.13 Kč 111

53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

$0.95 Kč 20.47

24.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.29

$0.67 Kč 14.44

182.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$1.15 Kč 24.91

-19.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.30 BGN 49.24

$24.46 Kč 529

15.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$2.73 Kč 59.0

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

$0.45 Kč 9.63

113.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 BGN 26.73

$5.41 Kč 117

183.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 BGN 3.09

$1.47 Kč 31.78

20.41%

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

$30.5K BGN 53.1K

$29.6K Kč 640.0K

3.03%

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

$25.1K BGN 43.6K

$25.5K Kč 550.4K

-1.47%

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

$157 BGN 273

$293 Kč 6,342

-46.44%

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

$21.12 BGN 36.74

$22.76 Kč 492

-7.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 BGN 26.65

$18.55 Kč 401

-17.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 BGN 80.7

$54.8 Kč 1,186

-15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.09 BGN 48.87

$11.32 Kč 245

148.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 BGN 17.46

$12.62 Kč 273

-20.44%

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

$775 BGN 1,348

$739 Kč 16.0K

4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K BGN 21.8K

$11.5K Kč 249.2K

8.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 BGN 153

$85.9 Kč 1,858

2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.39 BGN 72.0

$36.86 Kč 797

12.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 186

$100 Kč 2,170

6.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 185

$122 Kč 2,630

-12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 BGN 1,340

$722 Kč 15.6K

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BGN 1,048

$593 Kč 12.8K

1.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 BGN 2,721

$1,183 Kč 25.6K

32.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 BGN 1,803

$925 Kč 20.0K

12.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,567 BGN 7,946

$4,575 Kč 98.9K

-0.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 BGN 5,502

$3,435 Kč 74.3K

-7.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 3,031

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.67

-38.12%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Benesov: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$602 37.6%

Benesov

$593 38.8% 1.5% $8.8

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$291 18.2%

Benesov

$209 13.7% 28.1% $82

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 15.9%

Benesov

$123 8% 51.7% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.1%

Benesov

$335 21.9% 72.9% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Benesov

$155 10.2% 0.7% $1

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Benesov

$80 5.2% 20.5% $14

Getting Around

Sofia

$39 2.4%

Benesov

$34 2.2% 11.7% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $770 in Sofia versus $722 in Benesov. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Sofia versus $26.00 in Benesov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $209 – making Benesov the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇨🇿 Benesov

🕒 Local time

18:10 6:10 PM

17:10 5:10 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

16,480

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Czech Koruna CZK Kč

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 CZK = 4.62 USD

100 CZK = 4.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CZK, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 21.63 CZK (100 CZK = 4.62 USD). 1 EUR = 24.31 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia Benesov 1,030 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Benesov

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 Benesov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,600 in Sofia, $1,529 in Benesov – roughly 5% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,400 per month in Sofia and $2,294 in Benesov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benesov, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Benesov. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $775 per month in Sofia and $739 in Benesov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Benesov, where all-in costs run around $1,529, than in Sofia at $1,600. In Benesov it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,529 in Benesov to $1,600 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Benesov. 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.