Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Dhahran

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhahran: $1,372 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Sofia outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Dhahran
Learn more

Dhahran Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Dhahran

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Dhahran

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $1,372 in Dhahran, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Dhahran $1,372

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $1,754 in Dhahran, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Dhahran $1,754

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $2,135 in Dhahran, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Dhahran $2,135

Sofia costs about 16% more than Dhahran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sofia and Dhahran sit above the global median – Sofia by 17%, Dhahran by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$5.45 SAR 20.46

204.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$39.37 SAR 148

71.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$6.20 SAR 23.26

88.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.91

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$4.01 SAR 15.05

-14.96%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.69 SAR 2.61

242.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.18 SAR 0.67

827.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$1.56 SAR 5.85

24.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.95 SAR 3.57

63.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$1.98 SAR 7.42

18.69%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$3.72 SAR 13.95

23.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$8.51 SAR 31.95

34.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$11.24 SAR 42.19

-23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$13.53 SAR 50.8

28.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$2.09 SAR 7.86

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$1.39 SAR 5.20

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$1.75 SAR 6.57

4.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$1.75 SAR 6.56

144.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$1.55 SAR 5.83

-32.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.93 SAR 3.48

-4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$1.94 SAR 7.28

-38.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.85 SAR 3.18

-2.35%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.92 SAR 18.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$5.44 SAR 20.42

-19.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$0.90 SAR 3.36

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$55.5 SAR 208

-49.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$1.73 SAR 6.48

-3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$3.39 SAR 12.73

-74.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$14.15 SAR 53.1

17.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$0.60 SAR 2.26

190.00%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$36.1K SAR 135.4K

-16.99%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$21.6K SAR 80.9K

16.05%

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

$158 BGN 275

$59.8 SAR 224

164.20%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$43.66 SAR 164

-51.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$66.1 SAR 248

-77.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$193 SAR 724

-75.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$91.5 SAR 343

-69.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$10.70 SAR 40.14

-6.54%

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$66.1 SAR 248

1133.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$14.4K SAR 54.0K

1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$51.1 SAR 192

70.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$42.90 SAR 161

-10.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$75.2 SAR 282

40.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$89.2 SAR 335

20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$363 SAR 1,362

111.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$451 SAR 1,695

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$2,835 SAR 10.6K

-37.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.5

-35.78%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Dhahran

$452 32.9% 23.9% $142

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Dhahran

$229 16.7% 20.4% $59

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Dhahran

$114 8.3% 55.1% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Dhahran

$170 12.4% 12.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Dhahran

$116 8.5% 23.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Dhahran

$214 15.6% 221% $147

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Dhahran

$78 5.7% 106% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $363 in Dhahran. 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 59% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $39 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $229 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇦 Dhahran

🕒 Local time

20:30 8:30 PM

21:30 9:30 PM

1 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

120,521

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Dhahran 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Dhahran

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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 16% more than Dhahran, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $2,059 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $363 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,585 in Sofia and $1,372 in Dhahran. That makes Dhahran about 13% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,585 in Sofia and $1,372 in Dhahran. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.