Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kalisz

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalisz: $1,136 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Kalisz
Learn more

Kalisz Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Kalisz

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Kalisz

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,136 in Kalisz, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Kalisz $1,136

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,596 in Kalisz, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Kalisz $1,596

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,056 in Kalisz, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Kalisz $2,056

Sofia costs about 40% more than Kalisz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Kalisz is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$8.73 zł 33.92

93.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$30.31 zł 118

117.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$8.87 zł 34.47

27.62%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$3.08 zł 11.96

11.36%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$2.00 zł 7.76

20.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.63 zł 6.33

13.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.49 zł 9.68

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$2.59 zł 10.07

76.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$0.92 zł 3.59

119.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.21 zł 4.71

28.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.62 zł 6.29

43.83%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$2.95 zł 11.44

47.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$7.96 zł 30.91

47.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$4.34 zł 16.87

103.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$9.22 zł 35.82

89.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.07 zł 4.15

100.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.60 zł 6.22

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.57 zł 6.12

22.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$3.10 zł 12.03

36.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.79 zł 3.06

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.01 zł 3.92

-15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.30 zł 5.05

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.55 zł 2.16

61.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$4.68 zł 18.18

-10.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$6.98 zł 27.14

6.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$0.87 zł 3.39

32.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.39 zł 5.40

33.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$1.04 zł 4.04

-16.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$34.99 zł 136

-18.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$2.00 zł 7.75

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.05 zł 4.08

-10.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$6.51 zł 25.30

135.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.57 zł 6.11

7.64%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.5K zł 118.5K

-2.28%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$27.4K zł 106.5K

-4.65%

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

$156 BGN 272

$186 zł 724

-16.28%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$10.06 zł 39.08

114.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$16.83 zł 65.4

-9.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$31.87 zł 124

44.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$6.46 zł 25.11

57.59%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$248 zł 964

212.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$5,003 zł 19.4K

155.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$83.4 zł 324

7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$25.41 zł 98.7

62.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$79.2 zł 308

32.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$88.5 zł 344

20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$445 zł 1,730

75.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$354 zł 1,376

68.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$538 zł 2,092

181.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$457 zł 1,774

125.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$1,968 zł 7,648

120.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$1,462 zł 5,679

117.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$1,190 zł 4,622

45.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

6.21

-53.46%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kalisz: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Kalisz

$354 31.2% 40.6% $243

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Kalisz

$187 16.5% 35.6% $104

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Kalisz

$166 14.6% 35% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Kalisz

$213 18.8% 10.6% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Kalisz

$124 11% 19.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Kalisz

$45 3.9% 32.6% $22

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Kalisz

$46 4.1% 20.9% $8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $445 in Kalisz. 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 46% 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 $66.0 in Sofia versus $30.00 in Kalisz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $187 – making Kalisz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇵🇱 Kalisz

🕒 Local time

04:32 4:32 AM

03:32 3:32 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

103,997

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Kalisz 1,080 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Kalisz

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 Kalisz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $1,704 in Kalisz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Kalisz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Sofia and $248 in Kalisz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalisz, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Kalisz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalisz – 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 Kalisz. 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.