Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kecskemet

For one person, living is cheaper in Kecskemet: $1,171 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 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
57

Cost of Living Index in Kecskemet
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Kecskemet Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Kecskemet

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Kecskemet

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,171 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Kecskemet $1,171

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,730 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Kecskemet $1,730

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,289 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Kecskemet $2,289

Sofia costs about 36% more than Kecskemet, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Kecskemet is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$9.16 Ft 2,959

84.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$30.07 Ft 9,715

118.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$7.81 Ft 2,524

44.94%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$1.57 Ft 507

118.47%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.56 Ft 505

54.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.20 Ft 389

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.22 Ft 718

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$2.27 Ft 733

101.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.23 Ft 396

64.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.28 Ft 414

21.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.41 Ft 777

-3.32%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.69 Ft 1,192

18.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$10.38 Ft 3,354

13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$6.71 Ft 2,166

31.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$13.61 Ft 4,398

28.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.83 Ft 591

17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.67 Ft 539

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.82 Ft 588

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$3.14 Ft 1,015

35.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.99 Ft 318

5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.05 Ft 340

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.21 Ft 391

-4.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.51 Ft 166

74.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$6.87 Ft 2,220

-38.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$3.73 Ft 1,207

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.22 Ft 394

-5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.97 Ft 636

-6.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$1.12 Ft 361

-22.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$18.54 Ft 5,991

53.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.23 Ft 398

36.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.63 Ft 528

-42.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$18.17 Ft 5,870

-15.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.81 Ft 584

-6.63%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-0.11%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$32.5K Ft 10.5M

-19.60%

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

$156 BGN 272

$130 Ft 42.1K

19.81%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$32.28 Ft 10.4K

-33.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$19.37 Ft 6,257

-21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$61.0 Ft 19.7K

-24.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$27.61 Ft 8,921

1.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$7.78 Ft 2,512

30.85%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$246 Ft 79.4K

215.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$6,687 Ft 2.2M

91.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$114 Ft 37.0K

-21.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$15.05 Ft 4,863

174.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$46.46 Ft 15.0K

126.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$75.6 Ft 24.4K

41.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$513 Ft 165.6K

52.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$394 Ft 127.4K

51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$695 Ft 224.7K

118.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$592 Ft 191.1K

74.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,321 Ft 749.9K

87.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$1,964 Ft 634.4K

61.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$1,099 Ft 355.1K

57.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

6.67

-56.67%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kecskemet: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Kecskemet

$394 33.7% 33.9% $202

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Kecskemet

$231 19.7% 20.6% $60

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Kecskemet

$142 12.1% 44.2% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Kecskemet

$182 15.5% 5.7% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Kecskemet

$113 9.7% 26.7% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Kecskemet

$77 6.5% 15.2% $10

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Kecskemet

$32 2.8% 15.6% $6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $513 in Kecskemet. 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 58% 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 Kecskemet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $231 – making Kecskemet the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇭🇺 Kecskemet

🕒 Local time

22:16 10:16 PM

21:16 9:16 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

109,450

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia Kecskemet 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Kecskemet

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 Kecskemet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $1,757 in Kecskemet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,594 in Sofia and $1,171 in Kecskemet. That's a gap of about 36%.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Kecskemet. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kecskemet, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Kecskemet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kecskemet – 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 Kecskemet. 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.