Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Boras

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,594 a month against $1,862 in Boras, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Boras
Learn more

Boras Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Boras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,862

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Boras

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,862 in Boras.

Sofia $1,594
Boras $1,862

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $2,190 in Boras.

Sofia $2,478
Boras $2,190

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $2,519 in Boras.

Sofia $3,361
Boras $2,519

Living in Sofia costs roughly 14% less than in Boras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Boras 38% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$12.85 SEK 127

31.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$90.2 SEK 894

-27.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$9.85 SEK 97.6

14.92%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$4.33 SEK 42.89

-20.79%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$2.12 SEK 21.02

13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.95 SEK 19.33

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$6.85 SEK 67.9

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$6.94 SEK 68.8

-34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.62 SEK 16.06

24.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$2.56 SEK 25.34

-39.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.94 SEK 29.17

-20.75%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$4.53 SEK 44.88

-3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$12.43 SEK 123

-5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$11.63 SEK 115

-24.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$15.46 SEK 153

12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$3.10 SEK 30.72

-30.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$2.61 SEK 25.83

-24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$2.75 SEK 27.27

-29.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$3.47 SEK 34.42

22.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.46 SEK 14.43

-28.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.35 SEK 13.41

-37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$2.21 SEK 21.85

-47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$1.35 SEK 13.39

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$6.49 SEK 64.3

-35.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$8.23 SEK 81.6

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.78 SEK 17.65

-35.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.62 SEK 16.08

14.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$3.66 SEK 36.29

-76.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$75.5 SEK 748

-62.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$5.03 SEK 49.83

-66.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.07 SEK 10.64

-12.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$40.70 SEK 403

-62.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.77 SEK 17.55

-4.52%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$25.3K SEK 250.5K

17.86%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$15.2K SEK 150.9K

71.60%

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

$156 BGN 272

$58.6 SEK 580

166.53%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$28.96 SEK 287

-25.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$39.63 SEK 393

-61.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$34.24 SEK 339

34.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$24.72 SEK 245

12.94%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$14.86 SEK 147

-31.49%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$156 SEK 1,542

397.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$49.27 SEK 488

82.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$50.7 SEK 502

-18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$78.5 SEK 778

33.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$101 SEK 998

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$862 SEK 8,540

-30.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$2,412 SEK 23.9K

-28.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.8

-39.79%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Boras: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Boras

$862 46.3% 44.4% $265

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Boras

$334 17.9% 14.9% $43

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Boras

$249 13.4% 2.4% $6.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Boras

$127 6.8% 34.1% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Boras

$126 6.8% 18.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Boras

$64 3.4% 3.8% $2.5

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Boras

$101 5.4% 162% $62

Cost Breakdown

Boras pays 39% 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 $90.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $334 per month, with Sofia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇪 Boras

🕒 Local time

11:19 11:19 AM

10:19 10:19 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

66,273

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, 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).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Boras 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Boras

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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and utilities. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Boras. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,594 per month in Sofia versus $1,862 in Boras – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sofia runs roughly 164% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,862 in Boras, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sofia but tight or insufficient in Boras. The gap between the two cities makes Sofia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sofia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Boras are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sofia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.