Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Bizerte

For one person, living is cheaper in Bizerte: $611 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Bizerte
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$611
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Bizerte

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $611 in Bizerte.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Bizerte $611

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $920 in Bizerte.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Bizerte $920

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $1,228 in Bizerte.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Bizerte $1,228

Living in Sofia is roughly 161% more expensive than in Bizerte, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Bizerte is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.35
$3.35 TND 10.03
403.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$14.99 TND 44.89
339.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.69
$4.06 TND 12.15
178.82%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$0.73 TND 2.18
369.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.19
$0.66 TND 1.96
265.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.22
$0.22 TND 0.66
740.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.44
$1.69 TND 5.06
118.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 7.97
$2.66 TND 7.95
72.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.51
$0.43 TND 1.30
369.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.72
$0.60 TND 1.81
160.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$1.29 TND 3.87
80.62%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.59
$1.38 TND 4.13
215.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.47
$10.17 TND 30.46
15.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.37
$6.13 TND 18.35
44.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.38
$14.34 TND 42.96
21.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$1.67 TND 5.01
28.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.44
$3.21 TND 9.61
-38.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$1.38 TND 4.12
39.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.37
$0.51 TND 1.53
731.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.80
$0.59 TND 1.78
76.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.48
$0.55 TND 1.64
54.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.00
$0.44 TND 1.31
161.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.56
$0.32 TND 0.97
178.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.33
$3.27 TND 9.78
28.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 12.98
$4.98 TND 14.90
49.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.01
$0.98 TND 2.93
17.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$1.03 TND 3.08
79.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.51
$0.17 TND 0.51
411.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.65
$8.38 TND 25.09
240.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$0.32 TND 0.95
425.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.35 TND 1.04
168.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.70
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.94
$0.82 TND 2.44
106.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
$38.8K TND 116.2K
-23.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
$36.7K TND 109.9K
-28.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 272
$16.73 TND 50.1
832.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.52
$9.77 TND 29.25
120.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.51
$22.58 TND 67.6
-32.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.2
$21.83 TND 65.4
111.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.58
$7.57 TND 22.67
268.82%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.72
$3.44 TND 10.30
195.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,347
$62.2 TND 186
1144.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
$1,938 TND 5,804
560.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$28.18 TND 84.4
219.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 71.8
$50.5 TND 151
-18.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 183
$75.9 TND 227
38.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 186
$59.1 TND 177
80.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,362
$146 TND 436
437.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,038
$175 TND 524
240.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,638
$268 TND 803
465.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,792
$221 TND 661
366.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,568
$742 TND 2,222
486.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,528
$339 TND 1,015
837.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Bizerte
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,019
$306 TND 917
466.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
11
-73.73%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bizerte: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Bizerte
$175 70.7% $422
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Bizerte
$186 35.9% $104
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Bizerte
$65 74.5% $190
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Bizerte
$49 74.6% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Bizerte
$96 37.7% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Bizerte
$29 56.8% $38
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Bizerte
$11 71.1% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $146 in Bizerte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 467% 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: $66.0 in Sofia vs $15.00 in Bizerte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $186 per month, with Bizerte cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇹🇳 Bizerte
🕒 Local time
18:47 6:47 PM
16:47 4:47 PM
2 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
136,917
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Bizerte 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Bizerte

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 Bizerte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sofia and in Bizerte?
Sofia and Bizerte differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($1,594 vs $611 including rent). Bizerte is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sofia or Bizerte?
Average pay runs 467% 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 Bizerte?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $146 in Bizerte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sofia and Bizerte?
Childcare runs $774 in Sofia versus $62.2 in Bizerte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $611 in Bizerte versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bizerte but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Bizerte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Bizerte?
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 Bizerte safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Bizerte are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sofia or Bizerte?
Expats usually find Bizerte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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