Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kozani Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kozani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $1,328 in Kozani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $1,940 in Kozani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $2,552 in Kozani, rent included.

Sofia costs about 3% more than Kozani, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Kozani is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$11.72 €10.08

1.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$45.58 €39.21

11.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$10.25 €8.82

-14.54%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$3.06 €2.63

-15.03%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.72 €1.48

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.56 €0.48

155.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$4.65 €4.00

-36.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$5.04 €4.33

-35.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.52 €1.31

27.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.40 €1.20

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.05 €1.76

-2.93%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$3.44 €2.96

11.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$13.32 €11.46

-5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$8.82 €7.58

-0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$13.39 €11.52

-0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.71 €1.47

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.69 €1.46

12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.64 €1.41

21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$1.77 €1.52

60.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.10 €0.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$0.87 €0.75

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.10 €0.95

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.81 €0.70

-18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$5.30 €4.56

-28.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$9.07 €7.80

-15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$2.02 €1.74

-46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$2.82 €2.43

-36.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$1.63 €1.40

-43.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$46.26 €39.79

-35.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$4.59 €3.95

-67.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$13.84 €11.90

3.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$2.05 €1.76

-26.34%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$31.3K €26.9K

3.93%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$31.2K €26.8K

-8.91%

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

$154 BGN 256

$220 €189

-29.87%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$23.58 €20.28

-23.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$30.46 €26.20

-50.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$45.51 €39.15

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$25.94 €22.31

-15.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$9.28 €7.98

-0.43%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$421 €362

48.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$8,389 €7,216

11.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$84.5 €72.7

-15.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$36.80 €31.66

-2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$87.6 €75.3

20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$61.9 €53.2

91.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$390 €336

78.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$326 €281

53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$518 €446

150.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$452 €389

101.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$2,331 €2,005

93.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,924 €1,655

64.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,154 €993

45.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.26

-27.46%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kozani: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $390 in Kozani. 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 45% 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 $51.0 in Sofia versus $46.00 in Kozani. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Sofia vs $263 in Kozani – so Sofia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kozani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 3% more than Kozani, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,060 per month in Sofia and $1,992 in Kozani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $624 per month in Sofia and $421 in Kozani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Sofia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kozani, where all-in costs run around $1,328, than in Sofia at $1,373. In Kozani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kozani costs $1,328 versus $1,373 in Sofia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kozani. 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.