Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Manakara

For one person, living is cheaper in Manakara: $397 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Manakara
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Manakara Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Manakara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Manakara

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $397 in Manakara, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Manakara $397

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $609 in Manakara, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Manakara $609

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $820 in Manakara, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Manakara $820

Sofia costs about 300% more than Manakara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Manakara is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$2.16 MGA 9,872

667.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$14.51 MGA 66.3K

366.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$3.61 MGA 16.5K

223.55%

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$1.19 MGA 5,449

186.55%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.60 MGA 2,744

293.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.53 MGA 2,414

215.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

$1.19 MGA 5,453

235.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

$1.42 MGA 6,481

219.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$1.72 MGA 7,872

12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$1.01 MGA 4,625

53.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$0.73 MGA 3,316

221.92%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$2.25 MGA 10.3K

104.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$6.62 MGA 30.2K

73.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$3.47 MGA 15.9K

149.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$3.55 MGA 16.2K

388.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$0.96 MGA 4,371

123.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$0.72 MGA 3,304

175.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$0.34 MGA 1,571

438.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$0.72 MGA 3,283

493.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$0.55 MGA 2,503

89.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.77 MGA 3,503

15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$0.32 MGA 1,460

271.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.64 MGA 2,909

29.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$1.42 MGA 6,489

209.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

$4.34 MGA 19.8K

70.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

$1.03 MGA 4,706

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

$1.25 MGA 5,721

52.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$0.21 MGA 957

338.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$35.63 MGA 162.8K

-21.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$1.08 MGA 4,952

54.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$2.23 MGA 10.2K

-61.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$3.31 MGA 15.2K

401.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$1.17 MGA 5,366

48.72%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$15.2K MGA 69.7M

96.45%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$20.2K MGA 92.5M

23.62%

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

$158 BGN 275

$41.78 MGA 190.9K

277.84%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$52.7 MGA 240.9K

-71.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$11.37 MGA 52.0K

312.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$21.87 MGA 100.0K

3628.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$16.27 MGA 74.4K

435.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$20.10 MGA 91.9K

90.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$45.39 MGA 207.5K

132.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$44.17 MGA 201.9K

142.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$114 MGA 519.1K

1467.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

-87.96%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Manakara: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Manakara

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Manakara

$130 32.7% 55% $158

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Manakara

$56 14.1% 78% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Manakara

$94 * 23.8% 51.4% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Manakara

$57 14.3% 62.8% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Manakara

$11 * 2.9% 83% $55

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Manakara

$49 12.3% 29.1% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Sofia are about 16 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $15 in Manakara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $130 – making Manakara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇲🇬 Manakara

🕒 Local time

05:25 5:25 AM

06:25 6:25 AM

1 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

44,237

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, 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).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 4,571 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,131 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Manakara 7,640 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Manakara

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 Manakara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 300%, 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 $595 in Manakara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $815 per month in Sofia and $22 in Manakara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 122% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manakara, where all-in costs run around $397, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Manakara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $397 in Manakara to $1,585 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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