Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Medina

For one person, living is cheaper in Medina: $1,327 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Medina
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Medina Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Medina

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,327

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Medina

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $1,327 in Medina, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Medina $1,327

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $1,779 in Medina, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Medina $1,779

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $2,231 in Medina, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Medina $2,231

Sofia costs about 19% more than Medina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Medina is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$5.53 SAR 20.75

199.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$32.26 SAR 121

109.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$8.20 SAR 30.77

42.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$2.60 SAR 9.76

31.15%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.73 SAR 2.72

223.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.25 SAR 0.94

568.00%

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

$1.48 SAR 5.57

31.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.92 SAR 3.46

68.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-0.84%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$2.00 SAR 7.51

130.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$5.35 SAR 20.08

114.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$7.09 SAR 26.61

22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$12.52 SAR 47.00

38.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-8.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$2.00 SAR 7.49

-1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$1.47 SAR 5.51

190.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-24.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-32.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$0.92 SAR 3.46

29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.70 SAR 2.63

18.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-40.62%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$36.54 SAR 137

-23.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$1.35 SAR 5.07

23.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-50.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$5.71 SAR 21.42

190.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$0.65 SAR 2.43

167.69%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$42.0K SAR 157.8K

-28.80%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$20.5K SAR 76.8K

22.16%

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

$158 BGN 275

$147 SAR 552

7.31%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$28.09 SAR 105

-24.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$87.7 SAR 329

-82.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$78.4 SAR 294

-40.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$8.93 SAR 33.52

211.53%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$13.10 SAR 49.15

-23.66%

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$291 SAR 1,091

180.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$5,499 SAR 20.6K

166.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$37.75 SAR 142

130.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$52.3 SAR 196

-26.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$65.7 SAR 247

60.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$68.6 SAR 258

56.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$562 SAR 2,109

36.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$515 SAR 1,931

15.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$753 SAR 2,825

103.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$560 SAR 2,102

89.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

$2,284 SAR 8,574

98.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

$1,323 SAR 4,966

134.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$1,233 SAR 4,627

44.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.17

-30.70%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Medina: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Medina

$515 38.8% 13.2% $79

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Medina

$190 14.3% 34.1% $98

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Medina

$104 7.8% 59% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Medina

$263 19.8% 35.4% $69

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Medina

$101 7.6% 33.6% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Medina

$105 7.9% 56.5% $38

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Medina

$51 3.8% 34.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $562 in Medina. 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 44% higher in Sofia. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $32 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $190 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇦 Medina

🕒 Local time

04:49 4:49 AM

05:49 5:49 AM

1 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

1,100,093

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, 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).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Medina 2,520 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Medina

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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 19% more than Medina, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $1,991 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $562 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Kindergarten costs $815 per month in Sofia and $291 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,585 in Sofia and $1,327 in Medina. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Medina – 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 Medina. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.