Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kosice Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kosice

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,659 per month in Sofia vs $1,823 in Kosice, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Sofia vs $2,638 in Kosice, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Sofia vs $3,453 in Kosice, rent included.

Sofia is about 9% cheaper than Kosice, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sofia and Kosice sit above the global median – Sofia by 20%, Kosice by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 BGN 28.51

$9.79 €8.44

75.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 BGN 106

$53.3 €45.96

19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 BGN 20.18

$9.50 €8.19

27.68%

Cappuccino

$3.55 BGN 5.91

$3.72 €3.21

-4.57%

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

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$2.21 €1.90

10.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BGN 3.22

$1.54 €1.33

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

$2.85 €2.46

24.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 BGN 7.65

$2.31 €1.99

99.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 BGN 3.46

$1.07 €0.92

94.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.63 €1.40

-6.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BGN 3.84

$2.06 €1.77

12.14%

Eggs

$4.55 BGN 7.57

$4.02 €3.47

13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 BGN 19.76

$12.92 €11.14

-8.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 BGN 14.88

$8.03 €6.92

11.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 BGN 28.99

$13.41 €11.56

29.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$1.72 €1.48

26.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$2.13 €1.84

-3.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.17

$2.43 €2.09

-21.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 BGN 6.85

$4.58 €3.95

-10.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.36 €1.17

-18.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 BGN 1.58

$1.63 €1.40

-41.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.74 €1.50

-28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.94 €0.81

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 BGN 7.46

$6.85 €5.90

-34.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.34

$5.79 €4.99

28.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BGN 1.99

$1.04 €0.89

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.20

$2.09 €1.80

-8.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 BGN 1.57

$1.27 €1.09

-25.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.10 BGN 50.1

$34.50 €29.74

-12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.75 €1.51

4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.27 €1.09

-26.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 BGN 26.58

$23.03 €19.85

-30.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.97 €1.70

-9.64%

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

$31.5K BGN 52.3K

$26.6K €22.9K

18.23%

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

$27.9K BGN 46.5K

$25.5K €22.0K

9.43%

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

$165 BGN 274

$338 €291

-51.29%

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

$21.72 BGN 36.13

$20.38 €17.57

6.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 BGN 24.94

$21.49 €18.53

-30.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.62 BGN 80.9

$52.8 €45.52

-7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 BGN 48.40

$17.16 €14.79

69.52%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 BGN 17.50

$10.60 €9.14

-0.75%

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

$781 BGN 1,298

$428 €369

82.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K BGN 22.0K

$10.8K €9,301

22.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BGN 152

$72.3 €62.3

26.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 BGN 72.4

$32.37 €27.91

34.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 176

$83.9 €72.3

25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 BGN 182

$98.3 €84.7

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 BGN 1,345

$968 €835

-16.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 BGN 1,030

$715 €616

-13.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 BGN 2,638

$1,806 €1,557

-12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 BGN 1,825

$1,264 €1,089

-13.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,590 BGN 7,635

$4,185 €3,607

9.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$2,928 €2,524

13.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,796 BGN 2,988

$1,554 €1,339

15.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.79

-23.48%

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

Last update for Sofia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kosice: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $809 in Sofia versus $968 in Kosice. 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 16% higher in Sofia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Sofia versus $53.0 in Kosice. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $271 – making Kosice the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kosice: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,659 in Sofia, $1,823 in Kosice – roughly 10% apart. Kosice costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Sofia and $2,734 in Kosice. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Sofia and $53.0 in Kosice. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,659 in Sofia and $1,823 in Kosice. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,659, than in Kosice at $1,823. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kosice it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,659 in Sofia to $1,823 in Kosice. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kosice makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.