Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Metkovic

For one person, living costs are similar in Sofia and in Metkovic: $1,594 and $1,559 a month, rent and utilities included.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Metkovic
🇭🇷 Croatia
$1,559
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Metkovic

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,559 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Metkovic $1,559

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $2,340 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Metkovic $2,340

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $3,120 in Metkovic, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Metkovic $3,120

Sofia costs about 2% more than Metkovic, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sofia and Metkovic sit above the global median – Sofia by 18%, Metkovic by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.52
$10.94 €9.77
54.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$44.40 €39.65
48.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.80
$7.84 €7.00
44.39%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 6.01
$1.63 €1.46
110.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.22
$3.95 €3.53
-38.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$3.00 €2.68
-38.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.48
$5.45 €4.87
-32.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 8.02
$4.56 €4.07
0.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.53
$1.13 €1.01
78.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.74
$1.69 €1.51
-7.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.07
$3.15 €2.81
-26.03%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.63
$5.01 €4.48
-12.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.59
$14.98 €13.38
-21.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.46
$9.45 €8.44
-6.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.56
$11.75 €10.49
48.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.76
$1.95 €1.74
10.26%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.46
$1.57 €1.40
26.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.39
$2.07 €1.85
-6.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.42
$2.69 €2.40
57.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.81
$2.17 €1.94
-52.07%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.49
$2.10 €1.87
-59.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$1.59 €1.42
-27.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.57
$1.59 €1.42
-44.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.37
$5.42 €4.84
-22.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 13.05
$7.82 €6.99
-4.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.02
$1.36 €1.22
-15.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.25
$1.47 €1.32
25.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
$1.81 €1.61
-51.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.93
$49.88 €44.54
-42.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.95
$3.07 €2.74
-45.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.64
$1.36 €1.21
-30.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.86
$12.89 €11.51
19.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.96
$1.86 €1.66
-9.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 52.1K
$26.5K €23.6K
12.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.7K
$25.0K €22.4K
4.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 273
$182 €162
-14.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.74
$27.59 €24.64
-21.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.66
$43.37 €38.73
-64.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.6
$57.8 €51.6
-20.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.86
$13.30 €11.88
109.92%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.82
$8.97 €8.01
13.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,355
$417 €373
85.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
$6,920 €6,180
85.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$90.2 €80.5
-0.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 72.3
$43.85 €39.16
-5.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 184
$102 €91.5
2.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 187
$79.1 €70.6
34.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,370
$766 €684
2.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,044
$536 €479
11.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,653
$1,307 €1,167
15.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,803
$944 €843
9.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,612
$4,028 €3,597
7.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,560
$2,904 €2,593
9.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Metkovic
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,037
$660 €590
162.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.72
-22.31%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Metkovic: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Metkovic
$536 10.2% $61
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Metkovic
$291 0.1% $0.2
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Metkovic
$195 23.5% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Metkovic
$253 31% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Metkovic
$142 8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Metkovic
$76 13.9% $9.3
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Metkovic
$67 74.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $766 in Metkovic. 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 163% 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 $44.00 in Metkovic. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Sofia vs $291 in Metkovic – so Sofia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇭🇷 Metkovic
🕒 Local time
14:55 2:55 PM
13:55 1:55 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
15,235
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Metkovic 460 km
From you
  • Sofia
  • Metkovic

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 Metkovic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metkovic cheaper than Sofia?
Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $2,338 in Metkovic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Metkovic, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Sofia and $417 in Metkovic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Sofia and in Metkovic?
Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Sofia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Metkovic?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Metkovic, where all-in costs run around $1,559, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Metkovic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sofia or Metkovic more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Metkovic – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Metkovic?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Metkovic. 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.

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