Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Mahabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahabad: $528 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
25

Cost of Living Index in Mahabad
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Mahabad Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Mahabad

🇮🇷 Iran

$528

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Mahabad

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $528 in Mahabad, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Mahabad $528

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $831 in Mahabad, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Mahabad $831

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $1,135 in Mahabad, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Mahabad $1,135

Sofia costs about 200% more than Mahabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Mahabad is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$2.92 $2.92

467.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$16.31 $16.31

314.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$3.99 $3.99

192.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$1.13 $1.13

201.77%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.51 $0.51

362.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.99 $0.99

68.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$0.68 $0.68

185.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.51 $0.51

203.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$2.09 $2.09

12.44%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$1.24 $1.24

270.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$4.47 $4.47

156.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$3.34 $3.34

158.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$7.85 $7.85

120.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$1.03 $1.03

108.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$0.86 $0.86

112.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$0.57 $0.57

649.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$0.57 $0.57

82.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.47 $0.47

89.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$0.54 $0.54

120.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.24 $0.24

245.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.77 $0.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$2.46 $2.46

78.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$0.14 $0.14

557.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$9.67 $9.67

190.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$0.44 $0.44

279.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$0.31 $0.31

174.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$2.63 $2.63

530.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$0.10 $0.10

1640.00%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$50.0K $50.0K

-40.10%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$45.4K $45.4K

-44.93%

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

$158 BGN 275

$12.98 $12.98

1116.18%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$1.57 $1.57

1254.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$3.81 $3.81

296.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$18.40 $18.40

154.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$13.52 $13.52

105.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$2.04 $2.04

390.20%

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$107 $107

659.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$2,442 $2,442

499.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$22.95 $22.95

279.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$27.82 $27.82

37.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$98.5 $98.5

7.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$73.7 $73.7

45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$290 $290

165.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$212 $212

179.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$806 $806

89.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$356 $356

197.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

$1,134 $1,134

298.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

$541 $541

474.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$254 $254

602.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

24.3

-88.11%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Mahabad

$212 40.2% 64.3% $381

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Mahabad

$108 20.4% 62.6% $180

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Mahabad

$55 10.4% 78.3% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Mahabad

$18 3.5% 90.5% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Mahabad

$100 19% 34.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Mahabad

$22 4.3% 66.4% $44

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Mahabad

$12 2.3% 67.6% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $290 in Mahabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Sofia are about 7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $16 in Mahabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $108 – making Mahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇮🇷 Mahabad

🕒 Local time

16:50 4:50 PM

18:20 6:20 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

208,541

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Mahabad 2,020 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Mahabad

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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 200%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $792 in Mahabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $290 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Kindergarten costs $815 per month in Sofia and $107 in Mahabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 167% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahabad, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Mahabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Mahabad. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.