Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Figueres

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,600 a month against $1,771 in Figueres, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Figueres
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Figueres

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

A single person spends $1,600 per month in Sofia vs $1,771 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Figueres $1,771

A couple spends around $2,490 per month in Sofia vs $2,506 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Figueres $2,506

A family of three spends $3,380 per month in Sofia vs $3,241 in Figueres, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Figueres $3,241

Sofia is about 10% cheaper than Figueres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Sofia and Figueres sit above the global median – Sofia by 18%, Figueres by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$18.70 €16.63
-9.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$44.98 €40.01
51.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$9.42 €8.38
23.35%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$2.31 €2.05
48.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$2.22 €1.97
5.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$1.44 €1.28
27.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$2.76 €2.45
23.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$3.83 €3.41
15.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$1.19 €1.05
65.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$1.51 €1.34
-1.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$2.37 €2.11
-1.69%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$3.51 €3.13
25.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$13.47 €11.98
-14.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$8.24 €7.33
7.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$15.73 €13.99
11.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$2.49 €2.21
-13.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$1.61 €1.43
28.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$2.07 €1.84
-6.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$2.59 €2.30
64.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$1.84 €1.63
-44.02%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$2.04 €1.81
-56.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$1.38 €1.23
-13.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$0.73 €0.65
21.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$6.20 €5.51
-31.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$5.47 €4.86
43.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$1.18 €1.05
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$2.17 €1.93
-12.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$1.58 €1.41
-41.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$36.75 €32.69
-22.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$3.51 €3.13
-52.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$1.33 €1.18
-27.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$25.43 €22.62
-39.60%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$1.74 €1.54
1.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$34.6K €30.8K
-11.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$28.1K €25.0K
-10.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$160 €142
-1.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$18.11 €16.11
16.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$50.2 €44.67
-69.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
$45.34 €40.33
2.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
$16.93 €15.06
65.92%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$8.92 €7.94
12.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$478 €425
62.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$7,211 €6,414
73.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$86.4 €76.8
1.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$36.10 €32.11
14.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$89.1 €79.3
19.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$128 €114
-16.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$903 €803
-14.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$764 €679
-21.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$1,321 €1,175
18.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$1,043 €928
-0.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$3,054 €2,716
49.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$2,163 €1,924
46.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Figueres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
$1,500 €1,334
16.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.3
-12.42%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Figueres: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Figueres
$764 26.8% $162
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Figueres
$268 8% $23
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Figueres
$242 5% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Figueres
$228 18% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Figueres
$153 0.9% $1.3
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Figueres
$63 4.9% $3.3
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Figueres
$53 38.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $770 in Sofia versus $903 in Figueres. 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 16% higher in Sofia, 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 $68.0 in Sofia versus $45.00 in Figueres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $268 – making Figueres the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇪🇸 Figueres
🕒 Local time
19:48 7:48 PM
18:48 6:48 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
47,879
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Figueres 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Figueres

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 Figueres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Figueres cheaper than Sofia?
Yes – Figueres is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,400 per month in Sofia and $2,656 in Figueres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Sofia or in Figueres?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Sofia and $45.00 in Figueres. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Figueres?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,600 in Sofia and $1,771 in Figueres. That's a gap of about 11%.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Figueres?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,600, than in Figueres at $1,771. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Figueres it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sofia or Figueres more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Figueres?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Figueres makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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