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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $1,134 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $1,714 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $2,294 in Burgas, rent included.

Sofia costs about 21% more than Burgas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Burgas is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$11.93 BGN 19.85

-0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$41.19 BGN 68.5

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$8.95 BGN 14.89

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$2.55 BGN 4.25

1.96%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.31 BGN 2.18

32.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.65 BGN 1.08

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$2.00 BGN 3.32

46.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$2.98 BGN 4.96

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.66 BGN 2.76

16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.93 BGN 1.55

29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.95 BGN 3.24

2.05%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$3.36 BGN 5.59

13.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$9.66 BGN 16.06

29.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.91 BGN 13.16

10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$11.53 BGN 19.18

15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-3.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$2.07 BGN 3.44

-8.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$2.57 BGN 4.27

10.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.44 BGN 2.39

-23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.31 BGN 2.17

-22.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.02 BGN 1.69

15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$3.52 BGN 5.85

8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$6.68 BGN 11.12

14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.02 BGN 1.70

6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.73 BGN 2.88

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.90 BGN 1.50

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$34.91 BGN 58.1

-14.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.21 BGN 2.01

23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$0.67 BGN 1.11

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$13.22 BGN 21.99

8.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-1.95%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$32.1K BGN 53.5K

1.09%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$26.0K BGN 43.2K

9.43%

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

$154 BGN 256

$93.3 BGN 155

65.14%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$16.36 BGN 27.21

10.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$14.05 BGN 23.37

6.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$30.89 BGN 51.4

42.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$15.05 BGN 25.03

45.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$8.65 BGN 14.39

6.82%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$234 BGN 388

167.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$4,083 BGN 6,793

128.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$59.6 BGN 99.1

19.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$42.36 BGN 70.5

-15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$80.9 BGN 135

30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$71.6 BGN 119

65.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$508 BGN 845

36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$386 BGN 643

29.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$885 BGN 1,472

46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$615 BGN 1,023

47.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$2,512 BGN 4,179

79.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,817 BGN 3,023

73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,024 BGN 1,703

63.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.57

-32.39%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Burgas: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $508 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 64% 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 $51.0 in Sofia versus $41.00 in Burgas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $236 – 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: $1,373 in Sofia, $1,134 in Burgas – roughly 21% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,060 per month in Sofia and $1,700 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 17% less in Burgas. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Sofia and $234 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 $1,134, than in Sofia at $1,373. 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 $1,134 in Burgas to $1,373 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.