Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Havlíčkův Brod

For one person, living costs are similar in Sofia and in Havlíčkův Brod: $1,594 and $1,546 a month, rent and utilities included.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Havlíčkův Brod
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
$1,546
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Havlíčkův Brod

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,546 in Havlíčkův Brod.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Havlíčkův Brod $1,546

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $2,172 in Havlíčkův Brod.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Havlíčkův Brod $2,172

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $2,799 in Havlíčkův Brod.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Havlíčkův Brod $2,799

Living in Sofia is roughly 3% more expensive than in Havlíčkův Brod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Havlíčkův Brod 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.52
$8.00 Kč 174
110.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$40.03 Kč 870
64.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.80
$6.52 Kč 142
73.62%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 6.01
$3.75 Kč 81.5
-8.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.22
$1.69 Kč 36.77
42.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$1.48 Kč 32.08
25.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.48
$2.02 Kč 43.81
83.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 8.02
$2.49 Kč 54.1
83.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.53
$0.72 Kč 15.58
180.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.74
$1.59 Kč 34.65
-1.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.07
$2.52 Kč 54.8
-7.54%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.63
$2.78 Kč 60.4
56.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.59
$6.95 Kč 151
69.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.46
$4.64 Kč 101
90.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.56
$5.41 Kč 117
222.74%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.76
$0.70 Kč 15.25
207.14%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.46
$1.74 Kč 37.81
13.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.39
$2.17 Kč 47.04
-11.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.42
$3.33 Kč 72.3
27.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.81
$1.05 Kč 22.75
-0.95%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.49
$0.91 Kč 19.69
-6.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$0.44 Kč 9.56
161.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.57
$0.83 Kč 18.10
7.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.37
$4.78 Kč 104
-11.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 13.05
$6.96 Kč 151
7.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$0.96 Kč 20.95
19.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.25
$2.05 Kč 44.60
-9.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
$1.11 Kč 24.18
-21.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.93
$24.65 Kč 536
15.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.95
$1.85 Kč 40.12
-9.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.64
$0.96 Kč 20.77
-2.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.86
$19.04 Kč 414
-19.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.96
$1.90 Kč 41.32
-11.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 52.1K
$28.0K Kč 608.5K
6.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.7K
$28.4K Kč 617.8K
-8.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 273
$289 Kč 6,277
-45.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.74
$23.73 Kč 516
-9.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.66
$22.00 Kč 478
-30.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.6
$54.8 Kč 1,191
-15.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.86
$17.12 Kč 372
63.08%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.82
$5.97 Kč 130
70.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,355
$477 Kč 10.4K
62.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
$18.8K Kč 408.6K
-31.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$91.3 Kč 1,983
-1.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 72.3
$40.73 Kč 885
1.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 184
$107 Kč 2,333
-2.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 187
$129 Kč 2,808
-17.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,370
$700 Kč 15.2K
11.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,044
$603 Kč 13.1K
-0.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,653
$1,208 Kč 26.2K
25.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,803
$916 Kč 19.9K
12.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,612
$4,524 Kč 98.3K
-3.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,560
$3,517 Kč 76.4K
-9.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Havlíčkův Brod
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,037
$1,404 Kč 30.5K
23.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
4.72
-38.77%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Havlíčkův Brod: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Havlíčkův Brod
$603 1% $5.9
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Havlíčkův Brod
$183 36.9% $107
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Havlíčkův Brod
$156 38.6% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Havlíčkův Brod
$335 73.5% $142
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Havlíčkův Brod
$166 7.5% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Havlíčkův Brod
$67 0.5% $0.3
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Havlíčkův Brod
$36 6.9% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $700 in Havlíčkův Brod. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 24% 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: $66.0 in Sofia vs $40.00 in Havlíčkův Brod for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $183 per month, with Havlíčkův Brod cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇨🇿 Havlíčkův Brod
🕒 Local time
18:26 6:26 PM
17:26 5:26 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
23,534
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

CZK, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 21.73 CZK (100 CZK = 4.6 USD). 1 EUR = 24.33 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Havlíčkův Brod 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Havlíčkův Brod

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 Havlíčkův Brod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Havlíčkův Brod cheaper than Sofia?
Havlíčkův Brod is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sofia or Havlíčkův Brod?
Average pay runs 24% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Sofia and Havlíčkův Brod?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $700 in Havlíčkův Brod. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sofia and in Havlíčkův Brod?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% 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 Havlíčkův Brod?
Dining out is cheaper in Havlíčkův Brod – a meal for two runs $40.00 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 Havlíčkův Brod?
At $1,546 in Havlíčkův Brod versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Havlíčkův Brod but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Havlíčkův Brod the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sofia or Havlíčkův Brod more family-friendly?
For families, Havlíčkův Brod 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 Havlíčkův Brod?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Havlíčkův Brod 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 Havlíčkův Brod gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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