Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Masjed Soleyman

For one person, living is cheaper in Masjed Soleyman: $530 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
26

Cost of Living Index in Masjed Soleyman
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Masjed Soleyman Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Masjed Soleyman

🇮🇷 Iran

$530

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Masjed Soleyman

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,585 in Sofia versus $530 in Masjed Soleyman.

Sofia $1,585
Masjed Soleyman $530

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,486 in Sofia versus $840 in Masjed Soleyman.

Sofia $2,486
Masjed Soleyman $840

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Sofia versus $1,149 in Masjed Soleyman.

Sofia $3,387
Masjed Soleyman $1,149

Living in Sofia is roughly 199% more expensive than in Masjed Soleyman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 17% above, Masjed Soleyman is 61% below.

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

$16.12 $16.12

319.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$3.89 $3.89

200.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

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

$0.48 $0.48

391.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.97 $0.97

72.16%

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

$0.69 $0.69

181.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.48 $0.48

222.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$2.08 $2.08

12.98%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$1.23 $1.23

273.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$4.33 $4.33

164.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$3.29 $3.29

162.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$10.32 $10.32

68.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$1.07 $1.07

100.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$0.82 $0.82

123.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$0.60 $0.60

611.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$0.54 $0.54

92.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.48 $0.48

85.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$0.56 $0.56

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.24 $0.24

245.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.79 $0.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$2.53 $2.53

73.91%

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

$0.17 $0.17

441.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$9.81 $9.81

186.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$0.38 $0.38

339.47%

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

$2.65 $2.65

526.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$0.08 $0.08

2075.00%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$49.7K $49.7K

-39.71%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$46.6K $46.6K

-46.34%

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

$158 BGN 275

$13.27 $13.27

1089.60%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$1.52 $1.52

1299.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$3.86 $3.86

291.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$18.94 $18.94

147.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$13.35 $13.35

108.39%

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

$106 $106

670.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$2,387 $2,387

513.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$22.62 $22.62

285.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$28.75 $28.75

33.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$96.1 $96.1

9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$72.2 $72.2

48.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$286 $286

168.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$209 $209

184.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$803 $803

90.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$357 $357

197.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

$1,141 $1,141

296.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

$540 $540

476.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

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 Masjed Soleyman: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Masjed Soleyman

$209 39.4% 64.8% $384

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Masjed Soleyman

$114 21.5% 60.4% $174

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Masjed Soleyman

$54 10.3% 78.6% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Masjed Soleyman

$19 3.5% 90.4% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Masjed Soleyman

$99 18.7% 35% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Masjed Soleyman

$23 4.3% 65.6% $44

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Masjed Soleyman

$12 2.3% 67% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $769 in Sofia and $286 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68 in Sofia vs $16 in Masjed Soleyman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $114 per month, with Masjed Soleyman cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇮🇷 Masjed Soleyman

🕒 Local time

14:49 2:49 PM

16:19 4:19 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

100,497

💱 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 Masjed Soleyman 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Masjed Soleyman

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 Masjed Soleyman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masjed Soleyman wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Masjed Soleyman the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $2,378 in Sofia and $795 in Masjed Soleyman to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $769 in Sofia versus $286 in Masjed Soleyman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $815 in Sofia versus $106 in Masjed Soleyman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 152% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $530 in Masjed Soleyman versus $1,585 in Sofia, a $800 budget is realistic in Masjed Soleyman but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Masjed Soleyman the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Masjed Soleyman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.