Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Haskovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Haskovo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,373 in Sofia versus $864 in Haskovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Sofia versus $1,402 in Haskovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,892 in Sofia versus $1,941 in Haskovo.

Living in Sofia is roughly 59% more expensive than Haskovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 2% above, Haskovo is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$9.92 BGN 16.50

19.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$41.41 BGN 68.9

22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$8.69 BGN 14.46

0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$2.08 BGN 3.45

25.00%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.27 BGN 2.11

37.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.69 BGN 1.16

107.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$1.37 BGN 2.27

113.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$2.98 BGN 4.95

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.63 BGN 2.72

19.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.76 BGN 1.26

57.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.71 BGN 2.85

16.37%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$3.25 BGN 5.40

17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$9.48 BGN 15.78

32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.80 BGN 12.98

12.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$8.30 BGN 13.81

60.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.65 BGN 2.74

15.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.97 BGN 3.28

-3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.53 BGN 2.55

30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$1.89 BGN 3.15

50.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.87 BGN 1.45

26.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.26 BGN 2.09

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$0.87 BGN 1.45

35.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.65 BGN 1.08

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$3.58 BGN 5.96

6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$7.60 BGN 12.65

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$0.82 BGN 1.36

32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.67 BGN 2.78

7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.91 BGN 1.51

1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$23.24 BGN 38.67

27.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.20 BGN 1.99

24.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$0.62 BGN 1.02

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$13.22 BGN 21.99

8.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.49 BGN 2.47

1.34%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

13.20%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$24.5K BGN 40.8K

15.92%

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

$154 BGN 256

$94.3 BGN 157

63.28%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$13.30 BGN 22.13

35.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$9.68 BGN 16.10

54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$55.0 BGN 91.5

-19.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$29.02 BGN 48.28

-24.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$8.12 BGN 13.51

13.79%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$232 BGN 386

168.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$2,383 BGN 3,964

291.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$48.01 BGN 79.9

48.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$41.76 BGN 69.5

-14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$82.1 BGN 137

28.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$71.1 BGN 118

67.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$240 BGN 399

190.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$166 BGN 276

201.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$383 BGN 638

238.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$313 BGN 520

190.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$1,267 BGN 2,108

255.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,022 BGN 1,699

209.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,119 BGN 1,861

49.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.57

-32.39%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $696 in Sofia and $240 in Haskovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 50% 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: $51.0 in Sofia vs $41.00 in Haskovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $211 per month, with Haskovo cheaper across the board.

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 Haskovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Haskovo wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haskovo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Sofia pays 50% more on average, 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: $696 in Sofia versus $240 in Haskovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Haskovo – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $51.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $864 in Haskovo versus $1,373 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Haskovo but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Haskovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Haskovo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $864 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Haskovo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Haskovo 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 Haskovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.