Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Beyla

For one person, living is cheaper in Beyla: $207 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,589
/mo nomad
Beyla
🇬🇳 Guinea
$207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Beyla

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Sofia versus $207 in Beyla.

  • Sofia $1,589
  • Beyla $207

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,456 in Sofia versus $420 in Beyla.

  • Sofia $2,456
  • Beyla $420

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,324 in Sofia versus $632 in Beyla.

  • Sofia $3,324
  • Beyla $632

Living in Sofia is roughly 668% more expensive than in Beyla, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 19% above, Beyla is 85% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.10 BGN 29.93
$14.16 GNF 124.6K
20.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 BGN 117
$30.47 GNF 268.0K
119.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 BGN 20.59
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.42 BGN 5.99
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 BGN 4.23
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 BGN 3.26
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.33 BGN 5.83
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 BGN 7.92
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 BGN 3.36
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 BGN 2.64
$1.12 GNF 9,835
34.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 BGN 3.88
-
-
Eggs
$4.40 BGN 7.69
$1.23 GNF 10.8K
257.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.56 BGN 20.22
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.79 BGN 15.38
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 BGN 29.71
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 BGN 3.79
$2.18 GNF 19.2K
-0.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 BGN 3.57
$2.26 GNF 19.9K
-9.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 BGN 3.22
$2.22 GNF 19.6K
-17.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.29 BGN 7.51
$2.26 GNF 19.8K
89.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.80
$2.15 GNF 18.9K
-52.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$2.14 GNF 18.8K
-56.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 BGN 2.11
$1.02 GNF 8,987
17.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 BGN 1.62
$1.03 GNF 9,025
-10.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 BGN 7.53
$0.98 GNF 8,595
338.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 BGN 12.83
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$1.44 GNF 12.7K
-18.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 BGN 3.28
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.14 BGN 49.24
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 BGN 3.04
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.54 BGN 27.19
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 BGN 3.14
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K BGN 52.5K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K BGN 46.1K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 273
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.21 BGN 37.11
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.64 BGN 27.37
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.76 BGN 81.8
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.74 BGN 48.54
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.02 BGN 17.53
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$766 BGN 1,341
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7 BGN 157
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88 BGN 71.5
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 BGN 186
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 BGN 183
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$796 BGN 1,393
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 BGN 1,063
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,563 BGN 2,735
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 BGN 1,855
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,357 BGN 7,626
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,250 BGN 5,688
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Beyla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,740 BGN 3,044
$1,984 GNF 17.4M
-12.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
0
-

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Beyla: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$607
Beyla
–
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$287
Beyla
–
Eating Out
Sofia
$256
Beyla
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Beyla
–
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Beyla
–
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$67
Beyla
–
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Beyla
–

Cost Breakdown

Beyla pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $67.0 in Sofia vs $30.00 in Beyla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $95.0 per month, with Beyla cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇬🇳 Beyla
🕒 Local time
08:18 8:18 AM
05:18 5:18 AM
3 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
13,204
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

GNF, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Guinean Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 8,795 GNF (10,000 GNF = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 9,864 GNF (10,000 GNF = 1.01 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Beyla 4,900 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Beyla

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 Beyla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sofia or Beyla?
Beyla wins on cost – living expenses run 668% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Beyla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sofia or in Beyla?
On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Beyla. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does it cost to live in Sofia compared to Beyla?
All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Sofia versus $207 in Beyla – a 668% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Are groceries more expensive in Sofia or in Beyla?
Supermarket bills run roughly 202% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sofia or in Beyla?
At $207 in Beyla versus $1,589 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Beyla but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Beyla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sofia or Beyla?
Both work as nomad bases, but Beyla delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $207 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Beyla hard to pass up.
How safe is Sofia compared to Beyla?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Beyla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Beyla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 668% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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