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: $1,373 in Sofia versus $859 in Kazanlak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Sofia versus $1,331 in Kazanlak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,892 in Sofia versus $1,803 in Kazanlak.

Living in Sofia is roughly 60% more expensive than Kazanlak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 2% above, Kazanlak is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$10.83 BGN 18.01

9.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$35.84 BGN 59.6

41.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$8.17 BGN 13.59

7.22%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$1.68 BGN 2.79

54.76%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.49 BGN 2.48

16.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.85 BGN 1.42

68.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$1.81 BGN 3.01

61.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$2.67 BGN 4.44

20.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.74 BGN 2.89

11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.98 BGN 1.63

22.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.53 BGN 2.55

30.07%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$2.66 BGN 4.42

43.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$9.19 BGN 15.29

36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.54 BGN 12.54

15.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$8.95 BGN 14.90

48.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.31 BGN 2.19

45.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.65 BGN 2.74

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.80 BGN 3.00

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$2.09 BGN 3.47

35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.02 BGN 1.69

7.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$0.85 BGN 1.42

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$0.62 BGN 1.03

90.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$3.48 BGN 5.79

9.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$5.31 BGN 8.84

44.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.23 BGN 2.05

-11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.16 BGN 1.93

54.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.67 BGN 1.12

37.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$13.12 BGN 21.82

126.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.35 BGN 2.24

10.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$0.71 BGN 1.18

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$10.23 BGN 17.02

40.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.52 BGN 2.52

-0.66%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$24.8K BGN 41.2K

31.09%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$17.9K BGN 29.7K

59.10%

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

$154 BGN 256

$101 BGN 168

52.23%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$15.18 BGN 25.25

18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$11.24 BGN 18.70

33.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$23.95 BGN 39.85

83.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$14.57 BGN 24.24

50.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$5.83 BGN 9.71

58.49%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$238 BGN 396

161.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$2,324 BGN 3,866

301.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$37.81 BGN 62.9

88.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$19.14 BGN 31.83

86.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$74.9 BGN 125

40.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$75.5 BGN 126

57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$356 BGN 593

95.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$233 BGN 388

114.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$718 BGN 1,194

80.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$359 BGN 597

153.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$1,256 BGN 2,090

258.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,021 BGN 1,699

209.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,559 BGN 2,594

7.39%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kazanlak: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $696 in Sofia and $356 in Kazanlak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 7% 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: $51.0 in Sofia vs $36.00 in Kazanlak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $205 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 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sofia pays 7% more on average, 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: $696 in Sofia versus $356 in Kazanlak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $624 in Sofia versus $238 in Kazanlak. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Kazanlak versus $1,373 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 60% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.