Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Burgas Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Burgas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Sofia vs $1,260 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,556 per month in Sofia vs $1,889 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,462 per month in Sofia vs $2,517 in Burgas, rent included.

Sofia costs about 31% more than Burgas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sofia sits 20% above the global median, while Burgas is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 BGN 28.96

$14.36 BGN 23.88

21.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 BGN 109

$48.65 BGN 80.9

34.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 BGN 20.25

$10.72 BGN 17.84

13.53%

Cappuccino

$3.63 BGN 6.05

$3.51 BGN 5.83

3.42%

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

$2.36 BGN 3.92

$1.11 BGN 1.85

112.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$0.77 BGN 1.28

153.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

$2.07 BGN 3.44

71.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

$3.07 BGN 5.10

48.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.35

$1.75 BGN 2.92

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$0.95 BGN 1.58

70.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 BGN 4.02

$2.18 BGN 3.62

11.01%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.33

$3.57 BGN 5.94

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 BGN 19.64

$9.22 BGN 15.34

27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 BGN 15.39

$8.13 BGN 13.52

13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 BGN 28.66

$11.43 BGN 19.01

50.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$2.26 BGN 3.76

-3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$2.11 BGN 3.52

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.07 BGN 3.45

-6.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.03

$2.80 BGN 4.66

50.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.41 BGN 2.35

-18.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$1.45 BGN 2.42

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.97

$0.99 BGN 1.64

19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$0.78 BGN 1.30

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 BGN 7.21

$3.81 BGN 6.34

13.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

$7.33 BGN 12.19

4.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

$1.06 BGN 1.77

14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$0.93 BGN 1.54

-1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.12 BGN 50.1

$35.41 BGN 58.9

-14.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$1.77 BGN 2.95

6.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.77 BGN 1.28

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 BGN 26.96

$12.40 BGN 20.63

30.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 BGN 2.94

$1.74 BGN 2.89

1.15%

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

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

$31.5K BGN 52.3K

-0.25%

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

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

17.74%

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

$170 BGN 283

$111 BGN 184

53.90%

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

$22.02 BGN 36.64

$15.26 BGN 25.39

44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 BGN 25.67

$12.28 BGN 20.42

25.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.50 BGN 79.0

$39.50 BGN 65.7

20.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.53 BGN 49.13

$14.85 BGN 24.71

98.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 BGN 17.18

$8.81 BGN 14.65

17.25%

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

$799 BGN 1,330

$236 BGN 393

238.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

$15.7K BGN 26.1K

-14.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 BGN 147

$60.0 BGN 99.8

47.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 BGN 70.8

$31.07 BGN 51.7

36.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BGN 179

$72.5 BGN 121

48.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 BGN 187

$76.3 BGN 127

47.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BGN 1,305

$534 BGN 888

46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,034

$431 BGN 716

44.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 BGN 2,622

$835 BGN 1,389

88.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 BGN 1,785

$648 BGN 1,079

65.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,637 BGN 7,714

$2,676 BGN 4,452

73.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 BGN 5,581

$1,933 BGN 3,216

73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 2,898

$1,016 BGN 1,690

71.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.25

-10.77%

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

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Burgas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Sofia versus $534 in Burgas. 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 72% 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 $65.0 in Sofia versus $49.00 in Burgas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $243 – making Burgas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Burgas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,650 in Sofia, $1,260 in Burgas – roughly 31% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,475 per month in Sofia and $1,890 in Burgas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 18% less in Burgas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $799 per month in Sofia and $236 in Burgas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Burgas, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Sofia at $1,650. In Burgas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Burgas has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Burgas to $1,650 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Burgas. 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.