Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Castel

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,589 a month against $2,406 in Castel, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Castel outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Castel

🇬🇬 Guernsey

$2,406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Castel

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

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $2,406 in Castel, rent included.

Sofia $1,589
Castel $2,406

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $3,787 in Castel, rent included.

Sofia $2,456
Castel $3,787

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $5,167 in Castel, rent included.

Sofia $3,324
Castel $5,167

Sofia is about 34% cheaper than Castel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sofia and Castel sit above the global median – Sofia by 19%, Castel by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

$39.85 GGP 30.16

-57.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

$80.5 GGP 60.9

-16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

$5.05 GGP 3.82

-32.28%

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

$3.23 GGP 2.45

-25.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.26

$3.93 GGP 2.98

-52.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

$4.32 GGP 3.27

-22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

$6.53 GGP 4.94

-30.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BGN 3.36

$1.95 GGP 1.47

-1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 BGN 20.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 BGN 29.71

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.79

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.22

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 BGN 7.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.80

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 BGN 49.24

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.54 BGN 27.19

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

$2.18 GGP 1.65

-17.89%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

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

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

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

$156 BGN 273

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

$21.21 BGN 37.11

$26.18 GGP 19.82

-18.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 BGN 27.37

$67.3 GGP 50.9

-76.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.76 BGN 81.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

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

$766 BGN 1,341

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BGN 157

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 BGN 71.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 186

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BGN 1,393

$1,986 GGP 1,503

-59.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 BGN 1,063

$1,844 GGP 1,396

-67.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 BGN 2,735

$4,012 GGP 3,037

-61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 BGN 1,855

$3,740 GGP 2,831

-71.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 BGN 3,044

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Castel: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Castel

–

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Castel

–

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Castel

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Castel

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Castel

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Castel

–

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Castel

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Sofia versus $1,986 in Castel. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Sofia versus $80.0 in Castel. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Sofia vs $19.00 in Castel – so Castel wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇬🇬 Castel

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

07:06 7:06 AM

2 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Guernsey Pound GGP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

1 GGP = 1.32 USD

1 GGP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GGP, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Guernsey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 GGP (1 GGP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.849 GGP (1 GGP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Castel 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Castel

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 Castel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Castel is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $3,609 in Castel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1377% cheaper in Castel – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Sofia and $80.0 in Castel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Castel at $2,406. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sofia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.