Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Mlava

For one person, living is cheaper in Mlava: $1,406 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Sofia despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Mlava
Learn more

Mlava Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Mlava

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,406

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Mlava

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,406 in Mlava.

Sofia $1,594
Mlava $1,406

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $1,992 in Mlava.

Sofia $2,478
Mlava $1,992

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $2,577 in Mlava.

Sofia $3,361
Mlava $2,577

Living in Sofia is roughly 13% more expensive than in Mlava, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Mlava 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$10.13 zł 39.35

66.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$25.39 zł 98.7

159.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$7.60 zł 29.51

48.95%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$2.50 zł 9.70

37.20%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.86 zł 7.24

29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.61 zł 6.25

14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.47 zł 9.58

49.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$3.78 zł 14.69

21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.04 zł 4.04

94.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.66 zł 6.46

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$0.96 zł 3.74

142.71%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.64 zł 14.13

19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$8.72 zł 33.87

34.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$6.86 zł 26.65

28.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$11.68 zł 45.38

49.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.36 zł 5.27

58.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.73 zł 6.71

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.56 zł 6.05

23.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$3.23 zł 12.55

31.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.98 zł 3.81

6.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.31 zł 5.11

-35.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.10 zł 4.27

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.69 zł 2.68

28.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$4.58 zł 17.79

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$6.42 zł 24.94

16.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.06 zł 4.12

8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.39 zł 5.41

33.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$0.96 zł 3.71

-9.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$32.25 zł 125

-11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$2.10 zł 8.14

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.83 zł 3.21

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$9.71 zł 37.71

58.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.57 zł 6.10

7.64%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.7K zł 119.1K

-2.80%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$27.4K zł 106.6K

-4.72%

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

$156 BGN 272

$283 zł 1,099

-44.85%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$6.26 zł 24.33

244.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$7.61 zł 29.55

100.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$37.86 zł 147

21.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$22.41 zł 87.1

24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$5.21 zł 20.24

95.39%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$329 zł 1,279

135.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$5,139 zł 20.0K

149.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$80.3 zł 312

12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$37.28 zł 145

10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$87.5 zł 340

20.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$76.1 zł 296

40.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$608 zł 2,363

28.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$505 zł 1,962

18.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$979 zł 3,802

54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$805 zł 3,129

27.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,881 zł 11.2K

50.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$2,203 zł 8,560

44.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$1,013 zł 3,935

71.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

6.89

-58.06%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mlava: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Mlava

$505 35.9% 15.4% $92

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Mlava

$220 15.6% 24.4% $71

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Mlava

$168 11.9% 34.2% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Mlava

$297 21.1% 53.9% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Mlava

$127 9% 18.1% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Mlava

$48 3.4% 27.3% $18

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Mlava

$42 3% 10.2% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $608 in Mlava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $66.0 in Sofia vs $25.00 in Mlava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $220 per month, with Mlava cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇵🇱 Mlava

🕒 Local time

03:25 3:25 AM

02:25 2:25 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

31,130

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

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Sofia Mlava 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Sofia
Mlava

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 Mlava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mlava is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $608 in Mlava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $774 in Sofia versus $329 in Mlava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,406 in Mlava versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mlava but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Mlava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mlava is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sofia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Mlava are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mlava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.