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: $1,633 in Sofia versus $907 in Kazanlak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,538 in Sofia versus $1,454 in Kazanlak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,443 in Sofia versus $2,000 in Kazanlak.

Living in Sofia is roughly 80% more expensive than in Kazanlak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 19% above, Kazanlak is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 BGN 29.27

$14.58 BGN 24.25

20.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 BGN 108

$59.7 BGN 99.3

8.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 BGN 20.20

$9.34 BGN 15.53

29.98%

Cappuccino

$3.57 BGN 5.94

$2.38 BGN 3.95

50.00%

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

$2.34 BGN 3.90

$1.62 BGN 2.69

44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.20 BGN 1.99

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 BGN 5.83

$2.37 BGN 3.95

47.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 BGN 7.81

$2.69 BGN 4.48

74.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.86 BGN 3.10

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.58

$1.04 BGN 1.73

49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 BGN 4.01

$2.42 BGN 4.03

-0.41%

Eggs

$4.49 BGN 7.48

$3.60 BGN 5.99

24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 BGN 20.16

$9.95 BGN 16.55

21.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 BGN 15.01

$6.52 BGN 10.85

38.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.55 BGN 29.20

$8.77 BGN 14.60

100.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 BGN 3.71

$1.30 BGN 2.16

71.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BGN 3.53

$1.70 BGN 2.83

24.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.80 BGN 2.99

10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.02

$2.01 BGN 3.34

109.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$0.99 BGN 1.64

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 BGN 1.65

$0.74 BGN 1.23

33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BGN 1.95

$0.61 BGN 1.01

91.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.48

$0.69 BGN 1.14

28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$3.82 BGN 6.35

10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.36 BGN 12.25

$5.18 BGN 8.61

42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BGN 2.04

$1.18 BGN 1.97

4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.73 BGN 2.88

7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$0.63 BGN 1.04

52.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 BGN 48.68

$13.20 BGN 21.97

121.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 BGN 3.02

$1.37 BGN 2.29

32.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.64 BGN 1.06

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 BGN 26.23

$11.74 BGN 19.53

34.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 BGN 2.86

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

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

$31.5K BGN 52.5K

-2.47%

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

$27.2K BGN 45.2K

$21.7K BGN 36.1K

25.17%

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

$169 BGN 281

$96.9 BGN 161

74.45%

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

$21.50 BGN 35.77

$15.44 BGN 25.68

39.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.18 BGN 25.25

$12.78 BGN 21.26

18.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 BGN 81.2

$23.62 BGN 39.29

106.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.42 BGN 47.29

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 BGN 17.54

$9.17 BGN 15.26

14.94%

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

$770 BGN 1,280

$241 BGN 400

219.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 21.3K

$2,407 BGN 4,004

432.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 BGN 149

$31.05 BGN 51.7

188.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 BGN 73.3

$19.90 BGN 33.10

121.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$66.3 BGN 110

59.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 BGN 185

$53.6 BGN 89.1

107.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 BGN 1,323

$355 BGN 590

124.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 BGN 1,005

$241 BGN 400

151.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 BGN 2,595

$712 BGN 1,184

119.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 BGN 1,809

$349 BGN 581

211.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,498 BGN 7,483

$1,250 BGN 2,079

259.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,352 BGN 5,577

$1,015 BGN 1,689

230.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,772 BGN 2,948

$1,540 BGN 2,562

15.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

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

Last update for Sofia: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kazanlak: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $795 in Sofia and $355 in Kazanlak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 15% 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: $65.0 in Sofia vs $60.0 in Kazanlak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $211 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $795 in Sofia versus $355 in Kazanlak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $770 in Sofia versus $241 in Kazanlak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $907 in Kazanlak versus $1,633 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 80% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.