Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and El Jadida

For one person, living is cheaper in El Jadida: $621 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in El Jadida
Learn more

El Jadida Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

El Jadida

🇲🇦 Morocco

$621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in El Jadida

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $621 in El Jadida.

Sofia $1,594
El Jadida $621

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $935 in El Jadida.

Sofia $2,478
El Jadida $935

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $1,250 in El Jadida.

Sofia $3,361
El Jadida $1,250

Living in Sofia is roughly 157% more expensive than in El Jadida, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, El Jadida is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$2.83 MAD 27.58

496.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$20.87 MAD 203

215.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$6.08 MAD 59.3

86.18%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$1.52 MAD 14.80

125.66%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$0.42 MAD 4.13

473.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$0.28 MAD 2.72

560.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.65 MAD 25.80

39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$2.60 MAD 25.32

76.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$0.93 MAD 9.04

117.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$0.38 MAD 3.67

310.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.98 MAD 19.33

17.68%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$1.84 MAD 17.94

136.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$6.33 MAD 61.7

85.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$3.89 MAD 37.95

126.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$7.61 MAD 74.2

129.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.57 MAD 15.34

36.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.41 MAD 13.70

40.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$0.65 MAD 6.31

196.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$0.70 MAD 6.80

505.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.72 MAD 7.06

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$0.51 MAD 4.97

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$0.30 MAD 2.90

283.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.52 MAD 5.09

71.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$3.96 MAD 38.64

6.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$4.18 MAD 40.77

78.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$2.51 MAD 24.46

-54.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$2.95 MAD 28.78

-37.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$0.48 MAD 4.68

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$16.82 MAD 164

69.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.02 MAD 9.94

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.01 MAD 9.80

-6.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$5.26 MAD 51.3

191.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.47 MAD 14.33

14.97%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$34.4K MAD 335.2K

-13.33%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$31.0K MAD 302.3K

-15.71%

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

$156 BGN 272

$29.18 MAD 285

434.89%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$10.38 MAD 101

107.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$30.70 MAD 299

-50.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$28.75 MAD 280

60.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$11.84 MAD 115

135.81%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$6.34 MAD 61.8

60.57%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$114 MAD 1,112

578.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$3,165 MAD 30.9K

304.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$27.58 MAD 269

226.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$36.84 MAD 359

12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$65.3 MAD 637

61.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$69.5 MAD 677

53.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$210 MAD 2,050

272.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$165 MAD 1,606

262.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$359 MAD 3,498

322.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$229 MAD 2,230

350.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$1,533 MAD 14.9K

183.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$782 MAD 7,628

306.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$470 MAD 4,581

269.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

5.5

-47.45%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for El Jadida: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

El Jadida

$165 26.6% 72.4% $432

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

El Jadida

$149 24.1% 48.6% $141

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

El Jadida

$80 12.9% 68.5% $174

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

El Jadida

$70 11.3% 63.6% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

El Jadida

$90 14.4% 41.9% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

El Jadida

$41 6.7% 37.7% $25

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

El Jadida

$25 4% 35.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $210 in El Jadida. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 269% 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 $21.00 in El Jadida for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $149 per month, with El Jadida cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇲🇦 El Jadida

🕒 Local time

20:17 8:17 PM

18:17 6:17 PM

2 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

237,464

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia El Jadida 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
El Jadida

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 El Jadida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Jadida wins on cost – living expenses run 157% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making El Jadida the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 269% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $210 in El Jadida. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in El Jadida – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $66.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $621 in El Jadida versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in El Jadida but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes El Jadida the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but El Jadida delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $621 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes El Jadida hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sofia and El Jadida 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 El Jadida gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.