Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Gdansk

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,589 a month against $1,752 in Gdansk, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Gdansk outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Gdansk
Learn more

Gdansk Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Gdansk

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,752

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Gdansk

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

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $1,752 in Gdansk, rent included.

Sofia $1,589
Gdansk $1,752

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $2,523 in Gdansk, rent included.

Sofia $2,456
Gdansk $2,523

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $3,294 in Gdansk, rent included.

Sofia $3,324
Gdansk $3,294

Sofia is about 9% cheaper than Gdansk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sofia and Gdansk sit above the global median – Sofia by 19%, Gdansk by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

$11.44 zł 44.71

49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

$57.9 zł 226

15.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

$8.79 zł 34.37

33.90%

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

$4.10 zł 16.02

-16.59%

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

$2.33 zł 9.12

3.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.26

$1.65 zł 6.45

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

$3.77 zł 14.72

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

$3.81 zł 14.90

18.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BGN 3.36

$1.00 zł 3.93

92.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$1.29 zł 5.04

17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

$1.72 zł 6.74

28.49%

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

$3.89 zł 15.22

13.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 BGN 20.22

$8.47 zł 33.11

36.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

$6.77 zł 26.47

29.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 BGN 29.71

$13.76 zł 53.8

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.79

$1.25 zł 4.90

73.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

$1.81 zł 7.09

12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.22

$2.10 zł 8.21

-12.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 BGN 7.51

$3.12 zł 12.20

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.80

$0.79 zł 3.09

30.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$1.06 zł 4.14

-12.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.11

$1.31 zł 5.14

-8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.62

$0.69 zł 2.70

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

$5.92 zł 23.13

-27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

$6.62 zł 25.89

10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

$1.23 zł 4.83

-4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

$1.80 zł 7.03

3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

$1.20 zł 4.71

-27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 BGN 49.24

$30.95 zł 121

-9.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

$2.03 zł 7.92

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

$1.03 zł 4.04

-6.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.54 BGN 27.19

$12.55 zł 49.06

23.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

$1.62 zł 6.32

10.49%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

$30.2K zł 118.1K

-0.76%

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

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

$28.6K zł 111.9K

-7.93%

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

$156 BGN 273

$296 zł 1,157

-47.29%

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

$21.21 BGN 37.11

$11.78 zł 46.06

80.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 BGN 27.37

$20.47 zł 80.0

-23.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.76 BGN 81.8

$44.71 zł 175

4.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

$29.31 zł 115

-5.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

$7.84 zł 30.63

27.81%

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

$766 BGN 1,341

$537 zł 2,098

42.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

$7,897 zł 30.9K

61.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BGN 157

$89.3 zł 349

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 BGN 71.5

$48.46 zł 189

-15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 186

$93.7 zł 366

13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

$106 zł 415

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BGN 1,393

$999 zł 3,906

-20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 BGN 1,063

$742 zł 2,900

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 BGN 2,735

$1,670 zł 6,526

-6.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 BGN 1,855

$1,099 zł 4,295

-3.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

$5,429 zł 21.2K

-19.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

$3,001 zł 11.7K

8.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 BGN 3,044

$1,991 zł 7,782

-12.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

6.67

-56.67%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Gdansk: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Gdansk

$742 42.1% 22.2% $135

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Gdansk

$228 12.9% 20.6% $59

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Gdansk

$209 11.9% 18.2% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Gdansk

$328 18.6% 70.2% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Gdansk

$152 8.6% 1.1% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Gdansk

$60 3.4% 9.6% $6.4

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Gdansk

$43 2.4% 12.6% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Sofia versus $999 in Gdansk. 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 14% higher in Gdansk, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Sofia versus $58.0 in Gdansk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $228 – making Gdansk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇵🇱 Gdansk

🕒 Local time

07:49 7:49 AM

06:49 6:49 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

470,633

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

1 PLN = 0.256 USD

1 PLN = 0.228 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia Gdansk 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Gdansk

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 Gdansk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Sofia, $1,752 in Gdansk – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $2,628 in Gdansk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $766 per month in Sofia and $537 in Gdansk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Gdansk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Gdansk at $1,752. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gdansk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Gdansk has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,589 in Sofia to $1,752 in Gdansk. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gdansk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.