Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Juba

For one person, living is cheaper in Juba: $236 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 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

Juba

🇸🇸 South Sudan

$236

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Juba

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

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $236 in Juba, rent included.

Sofia $1,589
Juba $236

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $366 in Juba, rent included.

Sofia $2,456
Juba $366

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $496 in Juba, rent included.

Sofia $3,324
Juba $496

Sofia costs about 574% more than Juba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sofia sits 19% above the global median, while Juba is 82% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

$19.91 SSP 112.9K

-14.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

$9.55 SSP 54.2K

23.25%

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

$3.44 SSP 19.5K

-0.58%

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

$1.52 SSP 8,639

59.21%

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

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

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

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

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

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

$1,796 SSP 10.2M

-3.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

-75.92%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Juba: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Juba

–

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Juba

–

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Juba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Juba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Juba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Juba

–

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Juba

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 3% higher in Juba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇸 Juba

🕒 Local time

14:13 2:13 PM

13:13 1:13 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

372,410 Capital

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

South Sudanese Pound SSP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

10,000 SSP = 1.76 USD

10,000 SSP = 1.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SSP, 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).

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,670 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,354 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.57 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Juba 4,290 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Juba

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 Juba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 574%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $354 in Juba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Juba, where all-in costs run around $236, than in Sofia at $1,589. In Juba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Juba – 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 Juba. 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.