Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Fierze

For one person, living is cheaper in Fierze: $1,108 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Fierze
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,108
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Fierze

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,108 in Fierze.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Fierze $1,108

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $1,726 in Fierze.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Fierze $1,726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $2,343 in Fierze.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Fierze $2,343

Living in Sofia is roughly 44% more expensive than in Fierze, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.52
$10.49 ALL 858
60.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$36.51 ALL 2,985
80.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.80
$10.42 ALL 852
8.64%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 6.01
$1.97 ALL 161
74.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.22
$1.99 ALL 162
21.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$1.01 ALL 82.5
83.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.48
$3.11 ALL 254
18.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 8.02
$4.20 ALL 343
9.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.53
$2.08 ALL 170
-2.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.74
$1.07 ALL 87.1
45.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.07
$2.36 ALL 193
-1.27%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.63
$3.85 ALL 315
13.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.59
$12.92 ALL 1,056
-8.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.46
$7.66 ALL 626
15.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.56
$14.88 ALL 1,216
17.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.76
$1.15 ALL 94.0
86.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.46
$2.39 ALL 195
-17.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.39
$1.60 ALL 131
20.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.42
$1.25 ALL 102
239.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.81
$0.91 ALL 74.5
14.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.49
$1.00 ALL 82.0
-15.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$1.23 ALL 101
-6.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.57
$0.69 ALL 56.7
28.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.37
$4.24 ALL 347
-0.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 13.05
$10.81 ALL 884
-30.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$1.51 ALL 124
-23.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.25
$2.06 ALL 168
-10.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
$0.55 ALL 44.85
58.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.93
$19.47 ALL 1,592
46.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.95
$3.73 ALL 305
-54.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.64
$2.47 ALL 202
-61.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.86
$20.52 ALL 1,678
-25.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.96
$2.15 ALL 176
-21.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 52.1K
$15.6K ALL 1.3M
91.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.7K
$28.8K ALL 2.4M
-9.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 273
$92.1 ALL 7,526
69.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.74
$16.60 ALL 1,357
29.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.66
$16.41 ALL 1,341
-7.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.6
$57.4 ALL 4,693
-19.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.82
$7.43 ALL 608
37.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,355
$186 ALL 15.2K
316.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
$4,606 ALL 376.6K
177.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$39.13 ALL 3,199
129.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 72.3
$41.50 ALL 3,393
-0.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 184
$87.5 ALL 7,156
20.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 187
$160 ALL 13.1K
-33.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,370
$538 ALL 44.0K
45.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,044
$289 ALL 23.6K
106.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,653
$722 ALL 59.0K
110.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,803
$510 ALL 41.7K
101.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,612
$1,866 ALL 152.6K
133.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,560
$1,316 ALL 107.6K
141.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Fierze
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,037
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
5.25
-44.95%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fierze: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Fierze
$289 51.6% $308
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Fierze
$262 9.8% $28
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Fierze
$175 31.4% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Fierze
$125 35.2% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Fierze
$148 4.2% $6.5
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Fierze
$72 8.7% $5.8
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Fierze
$38 1.7% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $538 in Fierze. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Sofia vs $37.00 in Fierze for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $262 per month, with Fierze cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇦🇱 Fierze
🕒 Local time
16:51 4:51 PM
15:51 3:51 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
1,600
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 81.76 ALL (100 ALL = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 91.27 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Fierze 350 km
From you
  • Sofia
  • Fierze

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 Fierze: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fierze cheaper than Sofia?
Fierze is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,391 in Sofia and $1,663 in Fierze to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Sofia and Fierze?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $538 in Fierze. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sofia and in Fierze?
Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Sofia or in Fierze?
Dining out is cheaper in Fierze – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $66.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Fierze?
At $1,108 in Fierze versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Fierze but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Fierze the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sofia or Fierze more family-friendly?
For families, Fierze is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sofia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Fierze?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Fierze are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Fierze gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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