Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Krosno

For one person, living is cheaper in Krosno: $1,127 a month against $1,600 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Krosno
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,127
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Krosno

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

A single person spends $1,600 per month in Sofia vs $1,127 in Krosno, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Krosno $1,127

A couple spends around $2,490 per month in Sofia vs $1,684 in Krosno, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Krosno $1,684

A family of three spends $3,380 per month in Sofia vs $2,241 in Krosno, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Krosno $2,241

Sofia costs about 42% more than Krosno, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Krosno is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$6.51 zł 25.30
160.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$34.52 zł 134
97.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$5.48 zł 21.28
112.04%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$2.36 zł 9.16
45.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$2.23 zł 8.65
4.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$1.35 zł 5.24
35.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$2.40 zł 9.32
42.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$2.69 zł 10.43
65.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$0.97 zł 3.76
103.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$0.97 zł 3.76
53.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$0.99 zł 3.83
135.35%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$2.72 zł 10.57
62.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$8.01 zł 31.13
44.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$5.39 zł 20.93
64.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$13.47 zł 52.3
29.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$0.74 zł 2.87
190.54%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$1.03 zł 4.01
100.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$1.26 zł 4.89
53.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$2.51 zł 9.75
69.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$0.53 zł 2.06
94.34%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$0.87 zł 3.38
1.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$0.78 zł 3.03
52.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$0.52 zł 2.02
71.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$5.68 zł 22.06
-25.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$4.94 zł 19.20
59.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$0.85 zł 3.30
38.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$1.51 zł 5.85
25.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$1.10 zł 4.27
-15.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$29.81 zł 116
-5.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$1.75 zł 6.78
-4.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$0.72 zł 2.80
33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$10.51 zł 40.83
46.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$1.68 zł 6.55
5.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$31.0K zł 120.6K
-1.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$26.6K zł 103.5K
-5.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$114 zł 442
38.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$6.32 zł 24.55
234.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$16.28 zł 63.3
-5.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
$30.79 zł 120
50.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
$21.63 zł 84.0
29.87%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$7.20 zł 27.96
39.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$555 zł 2,158
39.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$12.3K zł 47.8K
1.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$30.03 zł 117
193.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$30.89 zł 120
33.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$88.0 zł 342
21.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$62.5 zł 243
70.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$611 zł 2,375
25.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$499 zł 1,940
20.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$994 zł 3,860
57.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$833 zł 3,238
24.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$1,669 zł 6,485
173.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$1,324 zł 5,142
138.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Krosno
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
$1,005 zł 3,904
73.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
7.19
-59.81%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Krosno: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Krosno
$499 17.1% $103
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Krosno
$183 37.2% $108
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Krosno
$128 49.5% $126
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Krosno
$136 29.5% $57
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Krosno
$95 38.3% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Krosno
$45 32% $21
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Krosno
$40 2.7% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $770 in Sofia versus $611 in Krosno. 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 73% 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 $68.0 in Sofia versus $35.00 in Krosno. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $183 – making Krosno the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇵🇱 Krosno
🕒 Local time
18:10 6:10 PM
17:10 5:10 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
45,715
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Krosno 790 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Krosno

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 Krosno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sofia and in Krosno compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,600 in Sofia, $1,127 in Krosno – roughly 42% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Sofia compared to Krosno?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,400 per month in Sofia and $1,690 in Krosno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sofia and Krosno?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Krosno, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Sofia and $35.00 in Krosno. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sofia or Krosno?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,600 in Sofia and $1,127 in Krosno. That's a gap of about 42%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Krosno, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Sofia at $1,600. In Krosno it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Krosno?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,127 in Krosno to $1,600 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sofia or Krosno safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Sofia and Krosno?
If budget matters most, go with Krosno. 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.

Sofia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?