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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Sofia costs about 14% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Jeddah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$6.54 SAR 24.53

81.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$40.72 SAR 153

24.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$8.21 SAR 30.82

6.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$3.58 SAR 13.45

-27.37%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$0.70 SAR 2.64

148.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.25 SAR 0.94

472.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.74 SAR 6.51

11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.96 SAR 3.58

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-13.48%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$2.75 SAR 10.34

38.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$7.41 SAR 27.83

69.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.64 SAR 28.69

14.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$12.34 SAR 46.33

7.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$2.16 SAR 8.13

-12.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.57 SAR 5.90

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.55 SAR 5.82

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$1.54 SAR 5.78

84.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.05 SAR 3.96

12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.60 SAR 2.23

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$6.76 SAR 25.37

-43.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$39.64 SAR 149

-25.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-53.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-59.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-6.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$0.63 SAR 2.37

139.68%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

20.68%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

32.61%

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

$154 BGN 256

$105 SAR 393

46.96%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$32.31 SAR 121

-44.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$70.1 SAR 263

-78.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$90.9 SAR 341

-51.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$45.17 SAR 170

-51.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$13.12 SAR 49.26

-29.57%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$400 SAR 1,500

56.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

45.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$64.6 SAR 242

10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$58.1 SAR 218

-38.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$92.5 SAR 347

13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$84.4 SAR 317

40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$501 SAR 1,881

38.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$390 SAR 1,464

28.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$899 SAR 3,375

44.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$618 SAR 2,321

47.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$1,625 SAR 6,100

177.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,014 SAR 3,805

211.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,657 SAR 6,219

1.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.5

-31.33%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $501 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 1% 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 $51.0 in Sofia versus $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $196 – 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: $1,373 in Sofia, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 14% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,060 per month in Sofia and $1,803 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 $51.0 in Sofia and $41.00 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 $1,373 in Sofia and $1,202 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 $1,202, than in Sofia at $1,373. 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 $1,202 in Jeddah to $1,373 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.