Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kazanlak Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kazanlak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,365 in Sofia versus $881 in Kazanlak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,143 in Sofia versus $1,330 in Kazanlak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,922 in Sofia versus $1,780 in Kazanlak.

Living in Sofia is roughly 55% more expensive than in Kazanlak, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 2% above, Kazanlak is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 BGN 19.51

$10.77 BGN 17.92

8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.80 BGN 82.8

$35.42 BGN 58.9

40.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$8.11 BGN 13.48

8.14%

Cappuccino

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$1.65 BGN 2.75

59.39%

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

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.50 BGN 2.50

18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$0.92 BGN 1.53

54.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

$1.81 BGN 3.01

63.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

$2.66 BGN 4.43

22.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.74 BGN 2.89

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.00 BGN 1.66

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.50 BGN 2.50

32.67%

Eggs

$3.96 BGN 6.58

$2.63 BGN 4.38

50.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 BGN 20.26

$9.50 BGN 15.80

28.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$7.45 BGN 12.39

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 BGN 21.60

$8.48 BGN 14.10

53.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$1.31 BGN 2.19

45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$1.65 BGN 2.74

18.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.86 BGN 3.10

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 BGN 4.57

$2.08 BGN 3.46

32.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.06 BGN 1.76

5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$0.81 BGN 1.34

29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.60 BGN 1.00

98.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.73 BGN 1.21

-9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 BGN 6.43

$3.51 BGN 5.84

10.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

$5.26 BGN 8.75

40.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.22 BGN 2.02

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$1.15 BGN 1.92

59.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$0.67 BGN 1.11

46.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$12.74 BGN 21.20

131.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$1.37 BGN 2.28

5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$0.71 BGN 1.18

9.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$10.27 BGN 17.09

39.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$1.53 BGN 2.54

2.61%

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

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

$25.3K BGN 42.1K

26.61%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

$17.5K BGN 29.2K

65.56%

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

$150 BGN 249

$102 BGN 169

47.46%

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

$17.78 BGN 29.57

$15.03 BGN 25.00

18.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 BGN 25.62

$11.36 BGN 18.89

35.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 BGN 73.2

$23.17 BGN 38.54

89.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 BGN 35.73

$14.60 BGN 24.29

47.12%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 BGN 15.98

$5.98 BGN 9.95

60.70%

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

$642 BGN 1,068

$239 BGN 398

168.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

$2,388 BGN 3,972

289.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 BGN 120

$37.70 BGN 62.7

90.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 BGN 59.5

$18.94 BGN 31.52

88.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 178

$72.6 BGN 121

47.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$75.8 BGN 126

56.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 BGN 1,156

$360 BGN 599

92.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BGN 838

$233 BGN 388

116.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 BGN 2,091

$709 BGN 1,180

77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$349 BGN 580

155.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 BGN 7,356

$1,212 BGN 2,016

264.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$978 BGN 1,626

241.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,785

$1,520 BGN 2,528

10.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.4

-9.12%

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

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Kazanlak: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Sofia and $360 in Kazanlak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Sofia vs $35.00 in Kazanlak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $204 per month, with Kazanlak cheaper across the board.

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 Kazanlak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kazanlak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Sofia versus $360 in Kazanlak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $642 in Sofia versus $239 in Kazanlak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $881 in Kazanlak versus $1,365 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kazanlak but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Kazanlak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kazanlak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sofia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Kazanlak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kazanlak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.