Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Hradec Kralove

For one person, living is cheaper in Hradec Kralove: $1,499 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. The total is higher in Sofia despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
73

Cost of Living Index in Hradec Kralove
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Hradec Kralove Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Hradec Kralove

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$1,499

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Hradec Kralove

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

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $1,499 in Hradec Kralove, rent included.

Sofia $1,589
Hradec Kralove $1,499

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $2,208 in Hradec Kralove, rent included.

Sofia $2,456
Hradec Kralove $2,208

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $2,917 in Hradec Kralove, rent included.

Sofia $3,324
Hradec Kralove $2,917

Sofia costs about 6% more than Hradec Kralove, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sofia and Hradec Kralove sit above the global median – Sofia by 19%, Hradec Kralove by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

$7.96 Kč 173

114.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

$46.33 Kč 1,007

44.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

$7.73 Kč 168

52.26%

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

$2.74 Kč 59.6

24.82%

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

$1.83 Kč 39.80

32.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.26

$1.39 Kč 30.18

33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

$2.50 Kč 54.4

33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

$2.01 Kč 43.58

125.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BGN 3.36

$1.07 Kč 23.32

79.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$1.35 Kč 29.25

11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

$2.24 Kč 48.75

-1.34%

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

$3.04 Kč 66.2

44.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 BGN 20.22

$11.53 Kč 251

0.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

$8.30 Kč 180

5.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 BGN 29.71

$13.19 Kč 287

28.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.79

$1.54 Kč 33.39

40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

$1.62 Kč 35.24

25.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.22

$2.21 Kč 47.98

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 BGN 7.51

$3.75 Kč 81.4

14.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.80

$0.86 Kč 18.58

19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$0.88 Kč 19.18

5.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.11

$1.63 Kč 35.52

-26.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.62

$0.75 Kč 16.22

22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

$7.38 Kč 160

-41.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

$6.32 Kč 137

15.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

$0.91 Kč 19.74

29.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

$1.93 Kč 41.95

-3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

$1.18 Kč 25.65

-26.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 BGN 49.24

$24.54 Kč 533

14.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

$3.26 Kč 71.0

-46.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

$1.29 Kč 27.94

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.54 BGN 27.19

$13.91 Kč 302

11.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

$1.84 Kč 39.89

-2.72%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

$31.1K Kč 674.9K

-3.46%

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

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

$29.7K Kč 644.6K

-11.12%

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

$156 BGN 273

$280 Kč 6,090

-44.35%

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

$21.21 BGN 37.11

$25.00 Kč 543

-15.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 BGN 27.37

$18.09 Kč 393

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.76 BGN 81.8

$49.43 Kč 1,074

-5.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

$17.93 Kč 390

54.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

$8.62 Kč 187

16.24%

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

$766 BGN 1,341

$303 Kč 6,593

152.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BGN 157

$97.5 Kč 2,119

-8.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 BGN 71.5

$36.94 Kč 803

10.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 186

$97.9 Kč 2,127

8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

$103 Kč 2,233

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BGN 1,393

$596 Kč 12.9K

33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 BGN 1,063

$536 Kč 11.6K

13.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 BGN 2,735

$1,237 Kč 26.9K

26.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 BGN 1,855

$863 Kč 18.8K

22.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

$4,068 Kč 88.4K

7.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

$3,775 Kč 82.0K

-13.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 BGN 3,044

$1,655 Kč 36.0K

5.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

5.42

-46.68%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Hradec Kralove: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Hradec Kralove

$536 35.4% 11.8% $72

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Hradec Kralove

$247 16.3% 14.1% $40

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Hradec Kralove

$149 9.9% 41.7% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Hradec Kralove

$323 21.4% 67.7% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Hradec Kralove

$151 10% 1.8% $2.8

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Hradec Kralove

$67 4.4% 0.2% $0.1

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Hradec Kralove

$39 2.6% 2.1% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Sofia versus $596 in Hradec Kralove. 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 5% higher in Sofia, 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 $46.00 in Hradec Kralove. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $247 – making Hradec Kralove the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇨🇿 Hradec Kralove

🕒 Local time

14:15 2:15 PM

13:15 1:15 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

90,457

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Czech Koruna CZK Kč

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

100 CZK = 4.6 USD

100 CZK = 4.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CZK, 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 = 0.51 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 21.73 CZK (100 CZK = 4.6 USD). 1 EUR = 24.35 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Hradec Kralove 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Hradec Kralove

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 Hradec Kralove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Sofia, $1,499 in Hradec Kralove – roughly 6% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $2,248 in Hradec Kralove. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hradec Kralove, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Hradec Kralove. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $766 per month in Sofia and $303 in Hradec Kralove. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hradec Kralove, where all-in costs run around $1,499, than in Sofia at $1,589. In Hradec Kralove it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,499 in Hradec Kralove to $1,589 in Sofia. 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 Hradec Kralove. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.