Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy

For one person, living is cheaper in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: $1,083 a month against $1,609 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia, Bulgaria
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Russia
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,609
/mo nomad
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,083
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy

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 Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,609 in Sofia versus $1,083 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.

  • Sofia $1,609
  • Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy $1,083

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,495 in Sofia versus $1,648 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.

  • Sofia $2,495
  • Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy $1,648

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,381 in Sofia versus $2,212 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy.

  • Sofia $3,381
  • Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy $2,212

Living in Sofia is roughly 48% more expensive than in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is 20% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.88 BGN 29.70
$10.96 ₽884
54.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.5 BGN 117
$25.00 ₽2,016
165.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.59 BGN 20.40
$6.19 ₽499
87.24%
Cappuccino
$3.52 BGN 6.20
$3.08 ₽249
14.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 BGN 4.25
$1.08 ₽87.3
124.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 BGN 3.11
$0.49 ₽39.31
261.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.68 BGN 6.48
$1.86 ₽150
97.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 BGN 7.70
$5.97 ₽482
-26.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.96 BGN 3.44
$1.17 ₽94.3
67.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 BGN 2.65
$0.78 ₽62.6
93.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 BGN 3.87
$1.49 ₽120
47.65%
Eggs
$4.40 BGN 7.75
$1.39 ₽112
216.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.70
$12.79 ₽1,031
-8.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.68 BGN 15.28
$5.23 ₽422
65.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.37 BGN 30.57
$7.98 ₽643
117.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 BGN 3.75
$1.57 ₽127
35.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 BGN 3.61
$1.91 ₽154
7.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.40
$1.70 ₽137
13.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.17 BGN 7.34
$3.93 ₽317
6.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 BGN 1.90
$1.02 ₽82.4
5.88%
Onion (1kg)
$0.91 BGN 1.60
$0.68 ₽55.1
33.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 BGN 2.08
$1.01 ₽81.1
16.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 BGN 1.47
$0.66 ₽53.2
27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.18 BGN 7.36
$3.65 ₽295
14.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.68 BGN 13.51
$6.08 ₽490
26.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 BGN 2.06
$0.94 ₽75.9
24.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 BGN 3.17
$2.02 ₽163
-10.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
$0.52 ₽41.73
67.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.06 BGN 51.1
$29.59 ₽2,386
-1.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.96
$3.59 ₽290
-53.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.87 BGN 1.54
$0.18 ₽14.80
383.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.76 BGN 27.74
$3.98 ₽321
295.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.73 BGN 3.04
$0.83 ₽67.3
108.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K BGN 52.2K
$53.3K ₽4.3M
-44.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K BGN 45.0K
$40.9K ₽3.3M
-37.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 BGN 283
$133 ₽10.7K
21.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.08 BGN 37.10
$9.77 ₽788
115.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.19 BGN 26.73
$9.10 ₽734
66.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.34 BGN 85.1
$35.93 ₽2,898
34.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.47 BGN 48.35
$24.06 ₽1,941
14.17%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16 BGN 17.88
$5.32 ₽429
90.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$785 BGN 1,382
$361 ₽29.1K
117.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
$6,328 ₽510.4K
101.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.8 BGN 158
$57.1 ₽4,608
57.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 72.7
$45.30 ₽3,654
-8.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 BGN 189
$111 ₽8,927
-2.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 BGN 192
$134 ₽10.8K
-18.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$789 BGN 1,389
$482 ₽38.9K
63.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 BGN 1,063
$320 ₽25.8K
88.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,517 BGN 2,670
$884 ₽71.3K
71.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,037 BGN 1,825
$568 ₽45.8K
82.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,407 BGN 7,756
$2,298 ₽185.4K
91.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,137 BGN 5,521
$1,510 ₽121.8K
107.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,736 BGN 3,056
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
19.83
-85.43%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$604
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$320 47% $284
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$288
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$202 29.7% $86
Eating Out
Sofia
$256
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$171 33.3% $85
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$197
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$151 23.2% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$157
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$156 0.2% $0.3
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$69
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$47 32.2% $22
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
$36 6.2% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Sofia and $482 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66 in Sofia vs $25 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $202 per month, with Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇷🇺 Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy
🕒 Local time
21:18 9:18 PM
22:18 10:18 PM
1 h ahead of Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
75,814
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 BGN (1 BGN = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.78 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy 1,460 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy

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 Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy cheaper than Sofia?
Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,413 in Sofia and $1,625 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Sofia and Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Rent for a central apartment: $789 in Sofia versus $482 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Sofia and in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
All in, you’ll spend $1,609 per month in Sofia versus $1,083 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
At $1,083 in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy versus $1,609 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Sofia or in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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