Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Jamestown

For one person, living is cheaper in Jamestown: $89.5 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Jamestown

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$89.5

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Jamestown

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

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $89.5 in Jamestown, rent included.

Sofia $1,589
Jamestown $89.5

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $154 in Jamestown, rent included.

Sofia $2,456
Jamestown $154

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $219 in Jamestown, rent included.

Sofia $3,324
Jamestown $219

Sofia costs about 1675% more than Jamestown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 19% above the global median, while Jamestown is 93% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BGN 3.36

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$1.81 SHP 1.37

-16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

$5.27 SHP 3.98

-16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 BGN 20.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 BGN 29.71

$10.79 SHP 8.15

57.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.79

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.22

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 BGN 7.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.80

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.62

$1.30 SHP 0.98

-29.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

$12.06 SHP 9.11

-64.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 BGN 49.24

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.54 BGN 27.19

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

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

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

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

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

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

$156 BGN 273

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

$21.21 BGN 37.11

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 BGN 27.37

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.76 BGN 81.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

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

$766 BGN 1,341

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BGN 157

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 BGN 71.5

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 186

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BGN 1,393

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 BGN 1,063

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 BGN 2,735

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 BGN 1,855

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 BGN 3,044

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Jamestown: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Jamestown

–

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Jamestown

–

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Jamestown

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Jamestown

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Jamestown

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Jamestown

–

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Jamestown

–

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇭 Jamestown

🕒 Local time

10:00 10:00 AM

07:00 7:00 AM

3 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

600 Capital

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

1 SHP = 1.32 USD

1 SHP = 1.18 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SHP, 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).

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.755 SHP (1 SHP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.847 SHP (1 SHP = 1.18 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia Jamestown 7,160 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Jamestown

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 Jamestown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 1675%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $134 in Jamestown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Sofia and $89.5 in Jamestown. That's a gap of about 1675%.

Groceries cost about 230% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jamestown, where all-in costs run around $89.5, than in Sofia at $1,589. In Jamestown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jamestown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Jamestown. 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.