Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,659 per month in Sofia vs $1,367 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Sofia vs $2,104 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Sofia vs $2,842 in Jeddah, rent included.

Sofia costs about 21% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 20% above the global median, while Jeddah is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 BGN 28.51

$6.65 SAR 24.97

157.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 BGN 106

$53.3 SAR 200

20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 BGN 20.18

$8.34 SAR 31.31

45.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

Cappuccino

$3.55 BGN 5.91

$3.54 SAR 13.31

0.28%

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

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$1.01 SAR 3.78

142.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BGN 3.22

$0.24 SAR 0.89

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 BGN 7.65

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 BGN 3.46

$1.68 SAR 6.30

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.33 SAR 4.99

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BGN 3.84

$2.23 SAR 8.36

3.59%

Eggs

$4.55 BGN 7.57

$2.39 SAR 8.98

90.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 BGN 19.76

$6.59 SAR 24.76

80.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 BGN 14.88

$8.03 SAR 30.17

11.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 BGN 28.99

$12.92 SAR 48.51

34.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$2.13 SAR 8.00

1.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$1.69 SAR 6.36

21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.17

$1.52 SAR 5.71

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 BGN 6.85

$1.63 SAR 6.12

152.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.17 SAR 4.39

-5.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 BGN 1.58

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.09 SAR 4.09

14.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.54 SAR 2.01

57.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 BGN 7.46

$6.64 SAR 24.94

-32.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BGN 1.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.20

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 BGN 1.57

$1.14 SAR 4.27

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.10 BGN 50.1

$55.4 SAR 208

-45.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$3.21 SAR 12.06

-43.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-47.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 BGN 26.58

$13.94 SAR 52.4

14.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$0.60 SAR 2.24

196.67%

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

$31.5K BGN 52.3K

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

-34.63%

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

$27.9K BGN 46.5K

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

27.77%

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

$165 BGN 274

$100 SAR 377

63.84%

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

$21.72 BGN 36.13

$37.60 SAR 141

-42.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 BGN 24.94

$66.3 SAR 249

-77.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.62 BGN 80.9

$88.3 SAR 331

-44.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 BGN 48.40

$40.96 SAR 154

-28.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 BGN 17.50

$12.01 SAR 45.11

-12.41%

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

$781 BGN 1,298

$720 SAR 2,703

8.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K BGN 22.0K

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

-16.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BGN 152

$69.0 SAR 259

32.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 BGN 72.4

$58.9 SAR 221

-26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 176

$98.3 SAR 369

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 BGN 182

$96.8 SAR 364

12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 BGN 1,345

$769 SAR 2,886

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 BGN 1,030

$523 SAR 1,965

18.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 BGN 2,638

$1,342 SAR 5,041

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 BGN 1,825

$854 SAR 3,207

28.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,590 BGN 7,635

$1,732 SAR 6,504

165.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$1,131 SAR 4,247

194.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,796 BGN 2,988

$1,622 SAR 6,090

10.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

5.39

-46.20%

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

Last update for Sofia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $809 in Sofia versus $769 in Jeddah. 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 11% 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 $64.0 in Sofia versus $53.0 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $199 – making Jeddah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,659 in Sofia, $1,367 in Jeddah – roughly 21% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Sofia and $2,050 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Sofia and $53.0 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,659 in Sofia and $1,367 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,367, than in Sofia at $1,659. In Jeddah 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 $1,367 in Jeddah to $1,659 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 Jeddah. 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.