Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kragujevac

For one person, living is cheaper in Kragujevac: $1,154 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Kragujevac
Learn more

Kragujevac Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Kragujevac

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,154

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Kragujevac

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Sofia versus $1,154 in Kragujevac.

Sofia $1,589
Kragujevac $1,154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,456 in Sofia versus $1,777 in Kragujevac.

Sofia $2,456
Kragujevac $1,777

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,324 in Sofia versus $2,400 in Kragujevac.

Sofia $3,324
Kragujevac $2,400

Living in Sofia is roughly 38% more expensive than in Kragujevac, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 19% above, Kragujevac is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 BGN 29.93

$10.37 RSD 1,081

64.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 BGN 117

$42.32 RSD 4,408

58.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 BGN 20.59

$9.69 RSD 1,009

21.47%

Cappuccino

$3.42 BGN 5.99

$1.98 RSD 206

72.73%

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

$2.42 BGN 4.23

$2.31 RSD 241

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.26

$1.36 RSD 141

36.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 BGN 5.83

$2.66 RSD 277

25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.92

$3.37 RSD 351

34.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BGN 3.36

$1.29 RSD 135

48.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$0.58 RSD 60.1

160.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.88

$1.87 RSD 194

18.18%

Eggs

$4.40 BGN 7.69

$2.46 RSD 256

78.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.56 BGN 20.22

$9.60 RSD 1,000

20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 15.38

$6.39 RSD 665

37.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 BGN 29.71

$11.42 RSD 1,190

48.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.79

$1.19 RSD 124

82.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

$1.81 RSD 188

12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.22

$1.63 RSD 170

12.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 BGN 7.51

$2.28 RSD 237

88.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.80

$1.06 RSD 111

-2.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$1.21 RSD 126

-23.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.11

$1.01 RSD 105

18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BGN 1.62

$0.63 RSD 66.0

46.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 BGN 7.53

$4.39 RSD 457

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 BGN 12.83

$7.68 RSD 800

-4.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

$0.92 RSD 95.8

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

$2.31 RSD 241

-19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.52

$1.46 RSD 152

-40.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 BGN 49.24

$29.11 RSD 3,033

-3.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 BGN 3.04

$1.40 RSD 146

24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

$0.92 RSD 95.9

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.54 BGN 27.19

$5.38 RSD 560

188.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 3.14

$1.85 RSD 193

-3.24%

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

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

$30.7K RSD 3.2M

-2.26%

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

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

$26.0K RSD 2.7M

1.51%

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

$156 BGN 273

$188 RSD 19.6K

-17.11%

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

$21.21 BGN 37.11

$27.49 RSD 2,863

-22.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.64 BGN 27.37

$31.86 RSD 3,319

-50.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.76 BGN 81.8

$30.23 RSD 3,150

54.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.74 BGN 48.54

$20.20 RSD 2,104

37.33%

Cinema Ticket

$10.02 BGN 17.53

$5.59 RSD 582

79.25%

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

$766 BGN 1,341

$173 RSD 18.0K

343.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

$3,866 RSD 402.7K

230.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 BGN 157

$60.2 RSD 6,271

48.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.88 BGN 71.5

$66.1 RSD 6,880

-38.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 186

$124 RSD 12.9K

-14.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 183

$119 RSD 12.4K

-11.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 BGN 1,393

$392 RSD 40.9K

103.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 BGN 1,063

$306 RSD 31.9K

98.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 BGN 2,735

$630 RSD 65.6K

148.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 BGN 1,855

$498 RSD 51.9K

112.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,357 BGN 7,626

$2,215 RSD 230.8K

96.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,688

$1,597 RSD 166.4K

103.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 BGN 3,044

$928 RSD 96.7K

87.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.84

-40.29%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Kragujevac: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$607 37.9%

Kragujevac

$306 25.9% 49.6% $301

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$287 17.9%

Kragujevac

$208 17.6% 27.8% $80

Eating Out

Sofia

$256 16%

Kragujevac

$170 14.5% 33.4% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12%

Kragujevac

$248 21% 28.4% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Kragujevac

$166 14.1% 8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Kragujevac

$41 3.5% 38% $25

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Kragujevac

$41 3.5% 7.3% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $796 in Sofia and $392 in Kragujevac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 87% 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: $67.0 in Sofia vs $42.00 in Kragujevac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $208 per month, with Kragujevac cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇷🇸 Kragujevac

🕒 Local time

07:50 7:50 AM

06:50 6:50 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

146,315

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Serbian Dinar RSD din

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.509 EUR

1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.6 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.56 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Sofia Kragujevac 240 km

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Sofia
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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 Kragujevac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kragujevac wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kragujevac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 87% 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: $796 in Sofia versus $392 in Kragujevac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,589 per month in Sofia versus $1,154 in Kragujevac – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kragujevac runs roughly 3% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,154 in Kragujevac versus $1,589 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kragujevac but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Kragujevac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kragujevac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,154 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kragujevac hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Kragujevac 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 Kragujevac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.