Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Gavle

For one person, living is cheaper in Gavle: $1,422 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Sofia outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Gavle
Learn more

Gavle Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Gavle

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,422

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Gavle

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,422 in Gavle.

Sofia $1,594
Gavle $1,422

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $2,261 in Gavle.

Sofia $2,478
Gavle $2,261

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $3,101 in Gavle.

Sofia $3,361
Gavle $3,101

Living in Sofia is roughly 12% more expensive than in Gavle, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Gavle 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$13.57 SEK 134

24.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$78.8 SEK 781

-16.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$9.47 SEK 93.8

19.54%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$4.43 SEK 43.85

-22.57%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.96 SEK 19.45

22.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.95 SEK 19.36

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$7.79 SEK 77.2

-52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$7.86 SEK 77.9

-41.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.67 SEK 16.56

20.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$2.60 SEK 25.75

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$3.80 SEK 37.61

-38.68%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.81 SEK 37.79

14.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$9.46 SEK 93.7

24.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$10.38 SEK 103

-14.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$18.60 SEK 184

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$3.11 SEK 30.78

-30.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$2.84 SEK 28.13

-30.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$3.19 SEK 31.61

-39.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$4.45 SEK 44.08

-4.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.74 SEK 17.21

-40.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.71 SEK 16.99

-50.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$2.47 SEK 24.49

-53.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$1.94 SEK 19.21

-54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$8.03 SEK 79.5

-47.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$11.16 SEK 111

-33.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.56 SEK 15.50

-26.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.53 SEK 15.14

20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$3.17 SEK 31.38

-72.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$58.4 SEK 578

-51.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$4.44 SEK 43.98

-62.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.45 SEK 14.41

-35.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$33.41 SEK 331

-54.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.79 SEK 17.71

-5.59%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$26.3K SEK 260.5K

13.33%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$28.3K SEK 280.4K

-7.64%

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

$156 BGN 272

$54.0 SEK 535

188.88%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$21.30 SEK 211

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$39.32 SEK 390

-61.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$47.80 SEK 474

-3.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$15.06 SEK 149

-32.40%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$130 SEK 1,289

495.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$14.9K SEK 147.4K

-13.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$68.5 SEK 679

31.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$58.6 SEK 580

-29.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$50.1 SEK 497

109.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$88.6 SEK 878

20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$560 SEK 5,547

39.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$415 SEK 4,109

43.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$767 SEK 7,600

97.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$647 SEK 6,411

59.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$1,875 SEK 18.6K

131.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$1,327 SEK 13.1K

139.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$3,114 SEK 30.9K

-44.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

3.37

-14.24%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Gavle: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Gavle

$415 29.2% 30.5% $182

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Gavle

$352 24.7% 21.1% $61

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Gavle

$260 18.3% 2.2% $5.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Gavle

$115 8.1% 40.6% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Gavle

$120 8.4% 22.5% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Gavle

$78 5.5% 17.2% $11

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Gavle

$83 5.8% 116% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $560 in Gavle. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gavle pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $66.0 in Sofia vs $79.0 in Gavle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $352 per month, with Sofia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇪 Gavle

🕒 Local time

13:58 1:58 PM

12:58 12:58 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

100,000

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Gavle 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Gavle

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 Gavle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia and Gavle differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,594 vs $1,422 including rent). Gavle is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Gavle. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $560 in Gavle. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gavle runs roughly 105% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $774 in Sofia versus $130 in Gavle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,422 in Gavle versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gavle but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Gavle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Gavle 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 Gavle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.