Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Bialystok

For one person, living is cheaper in Bialystok: $1,450 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Sofia despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Bialystok
Learn more

Bialystok Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Bialystok

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,450

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Bialystok

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,450 in Bialystok, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Bialystok $1,450

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $2,061 in Bialystok, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Bialystok $2,061

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,672 in Bialystok, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Bialystok $2,672

Sofia costs about 10% more than Bialystok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sofia and Bialystok sit above the global median – Sofia by 18%, Bialystok by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$9.82 zł 38.15

71.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$45.59 zł 177

44.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$9.01 zł 35.02

25.64%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$3.60 zł 13.99

-4.72%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.80 zł 6.99

33.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.57 zł 6.11

17.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$3.47 zł 13.48

6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$3.03 zł 11.77

51.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.06 zł 4.11

90.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.01 zł 3.93

54.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.22 zł 8.63

4.95%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.82 zł 14.84

14.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$9.25 zł 35.94

27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$5.78 zł 22.47

52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$11.23 zł 43.63

55.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.20 zł 4.68

79.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.83 zł 7.09

8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.57 zł 6.08

22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$2.00 zł 7.78

112.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.04 zł 4.05

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.17 zł 4.54

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.12 zł 4.35

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.62 zł 2.40

43.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$5.07 zł 19.70

-16.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$6.29 zł 24.45

18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.15 zł 4.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.46 zł 5.66

26.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$1.10 zł 4.26

-20.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$32.94 zł 128

-13.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$2.01 zł 7.81

-16.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.65 zł 2.52

44.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$12.95 zł 50.3

18.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.55 zł 6.01

9.03%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.2K zł 117.4K

-1.38%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$27.0K zł 105.0K

-3.31%

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

$156 BGN 272

$298 zł 1,157

-47.60%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$8.38 zł 32.54

157.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$17.99 zł 69.9

-15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$41.37 zł 161

11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$27.66 zł 107

0.94%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$6.71 zł 26.08

51.71%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$359 zł 1,394

115.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$4,280 zł 16.6K

199.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$98.7 zł 383

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$36.27 zł 141

13.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$86.0 zł 334

22.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$89.9 zł 349

18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$541 zł 2,101

44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$496 zł 1,925

20.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$820 zł 3,187

84.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$720 zł 2,799

42.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,620 zł 10.2K

66.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$2,272 zł 8,826

39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$1,462 zł 5,680

18.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

7.07

-59.12%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Bialystok

$496 34.2% 17% $101

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Bialystok

$207 14.3% 28.7% $83

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Bialystok

$186 12.8% 27.1% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Bialystok

$324 22.4% 68.1% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Bialystok

$140 9.7% 9.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Bialystok

$55 3.8% 17.5% $12

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Bialystok

$43 2.9% 11% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $541 in Bialystok. 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 19% 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 $46.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $207 – making Bialystok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇵🇱 Bialystok

🕒 Local time

19:01 7:01 PM

18:01 6:01 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

297,554

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

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).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Bialystok 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Bialystok

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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 10% more than Bialystok, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $2,175 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Sofia and $359 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,450 versus $1,594 in Sofia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bialystok. 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.