Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Berkane

For one person, living is cheaper in Berkane: $726 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Berkane
🇲🇦 Morocco
$726
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Berkane

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $726 in Berkane, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Berkane $726

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,107 in Berkane, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Berkane $1,107

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $1,488 in Berkane, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Berkane $1,488

Sofia costs about 120% more than Berkane, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Berkane is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.35
$6.39 MAD 62.3
164.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$17.13 MAD 167
284.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.69
$5.94 MAD 57.9
90.57%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$1.85 MAD 18.00
85.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.19
$0.56 MAD 5.48
330.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.22
$0.37 MAD 3.58
400.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.44
$3.71 MAD 36.20
-0.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 7.97
$3.55 MAD 34.59
29.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.51
$0.91 MAD 8.85
121.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.72
$0.50 MAD 4.90
212.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$1.86 MAD 18.11
25.27%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.59
$1.91 MAD 18.58
128.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.47
$8.88 MAD 86.6
32.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.37
$6.18 MAD 60.2
42.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.38
$11.24 MAD 110
55.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$1.50 MAD 14.63
43.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.44
$1.43 MAD 13.92
38.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$0.80 MAD 7.80
141.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.37
$0.72 MAD 7.04
488.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.80
$0.71 MAD 6.95
46.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.48
$0.73 MAD 7.13
16.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.00
$0.40 MAD 3.90
187.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.56
$0.58 MAD 5.66
53.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.33
$4.15 MAD 40.42
1.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 12.98
$7.70 MAD 75.1
-3.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.01
$2.39 MAD 23.29
-51.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$2.58 MAD 25.12
-28.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.51
$0.51 MAD 4.98
70.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.65
$20.95 MAD 204
36.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$0.70 MAD 6.84
140.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.79 MAD 7.72
18.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.70
$4.66 MAD 45.42
229.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.94
$1.49 MAD 14.53
13.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
$34.5K MAD 336.7K
-13.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
$31.2K MAD 304.4K
-16.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 272
$33.23 MAD 324
369.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.52
$10.07 MAD 98.2
114.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.51
$36.36 MAD 355
-58.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.2
$26.36 MAD 257
74.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.58
$21.38 MAD 208
30.59%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.72
$5.18 MAD 50.5
96.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,347
$110 MAD 1,069
606.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
$5,704 MAD 55.6K
124.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$31.71 MAD 309
183.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 71.8
$41.72 MAD 407
-1.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 183
$86.1 MAD 839
22.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 186
$64.6 MAD 630
65.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,362
$268 MAD 2,610
192.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,038
$173 MAD 1,682
245.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,638
$463 MAD 4,517
227.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,792
$271 MAD 2,638
280.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,568
$1,147 MAD 11.2K
279.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,528
$778 MAD 7,586
308.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Berkane
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,019
$273 MAD 2,663
535.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
4.55
-36.48%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Berkane: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Berkane
$173 71.1% $424
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Berkane
$188 35.3% $103
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Berkane
$120 52.7% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Berkane
$80 58.7% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Berkane
$101 34.7% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Berkane
$37 44.7% $30
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Berkane
$28 27.9% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $268 in Berkane. 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 535% 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 $66.0 in Sofia versus $17.00 in Berkane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $188 – making Berkane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇲🇦 Berkane
🕒 Local time
16:58 4:58 PM
14:58 2:58 PM
2 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
109,237
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Berkane 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Berkane

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 Berkane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berkane cheaper than Sofia?
Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $1,089 in Berkane. 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 Berkane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Sofia or in Berkane?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Sofia and $17.00 in Berkane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Berkane?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,594 in Sofia and $726 in Berkane. That's a gap of about 120%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Berkane?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Berkane, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Berkane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sofia or Berkane more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Berkane – 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 Berkane?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Berkane. 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.

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