Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Maharagama

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $133 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Maharagama $133

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $250 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Maharagama $250

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $367 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Maharagama $367

Sofia costs about 1097% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Maharagama is 90% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$5.39 LKR 1,785

212.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$20.20 LKR 6,690

225.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$6.82 LKR 2,260

65.98%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$2.12 LKR 701

61.79%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$0.59 LKR 196

308.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$0.29 LKR 94.8

537.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$0.93 LKR 307

117.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$0.25 LKR 83.2

524.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$0.49 LKR 162

375.51%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$1.49 LKR 494

192.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$0.44 LKR 146

281.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.47 LKR 155

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

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

$156 BGN 272

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$4.63 LKR 1,534

365.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$13.62 LKR 4,510

11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

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

$774 BGN 1,347

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$197 LKR 65.3K

668.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$244 LKR 80.7K

612.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 612% 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 $66.0 in Sofia versus $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $20.00 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

13:25 1:25 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

196,400

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

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Sofia Maharagama 6,800 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

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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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 1097%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $200 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1375% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Sofia and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Maharagama. 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.