Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Nabeul

For one person, living is cheaper in Nabeul: $678 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Nabeul
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$678
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Nabeul

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $678 in Nabeul.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Nabeul $678

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $1,065 in Nabeul.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Nabeul $1,065

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $1,452 in Nabeul.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Nabeul $1,452

Living in Sofia is roughly 135% more expensive than in Nabeul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Nabeul is 50% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.35
$4.08 TND 12.22
313.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$20.03 TND 60.0
228.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.69
$4.81 TND 14.40
135.34%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$1.50 TND 4.48
128.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.19
$0.61 TND 1.82
295.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.22
$0.55 TND 1.65
236.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.44
$1.63 TND 4.89
126.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 7.97
$1.62 TND 4.86
182.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.51
$0.46 TND 1.38
339.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.72
$0.16 TND 0.49
875.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$1.33 TND 3.97
75.19%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.59
$1.53 TND 4.58
184.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.47
$11.76 TND 35.23
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.37
$5.95 TND 17.83
48.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.38
$12.33 TND 36.93
41.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$2.04 TND 6.10
5.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.44
$3.56 TND 10.65
-44.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$1.32 TND 3.96
46.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.37
$0.77 TND 2.30
450.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.80
$0.65 TND 1.94
60.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.48
$0.79 TND 2.38
7.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.00
$0.48 TND 1.43
139.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.56
$0.31 TND 0.94
187.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.33
$3.37 TND 10.08
24.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 12.98
$4.87 TND 14.60
53.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.01
$1.21 TND 3.64
-4.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$1.25 TND 3.76
48.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.51
$0.83 TND 2.48
4.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.65
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$0.31 TND 0.94
441.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.32 TND 0.95
193.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.70
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.94
$0.88 TND 2.64
92.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
$40.2K TND 120.5K
-25.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
$36.1K TND 108.0K
-27.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 272
$59.7 TND 179
161.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.52
$10.40 TND 31.16
107.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.51
$19.91 TND 59.6
-23.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.2
$29.74 TND 89.1
54.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.58
$13.72 TND 41.09
103.50%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.72
$5.49 TND 16.44
85.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,347
$60.3 TND 181
1183.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
$3,717 TND 11.1K
244.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$38.06 TND 114
136.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 71.8
$57.8 TND 173
-28.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 183
$96.5 TND 289
8.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 186
$66.2 TND 198
61.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,362
$228 TND 684
242.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,038
$156 TND 468
281.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,638
$378 TND 1,133
300.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,792
$278 TND 832
270.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,568
$849 TND 2,544
412.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,528
$813 TND 2,435
290.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Nabeul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,019
$255 TND 763
581.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
10.33
-72.02%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Nabeul
$156 73.8% $441
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Nabeul
$188 35.3% $103
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Nabeul
$81 68.2% $174
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Nabeul
$90 53.3% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Nabeul
$116 24.6% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Nabeul
$41 38.7% $26
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Nabeul
$5.2 * 86.4% $33

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $228 in Nabeul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 581% 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 $20.00 in Nabeul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $188 per month, with Nabeul cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇹🇳 Nabeul
🕒 Local time
02:03 2:03 AM
00:03 12:03 AM
2 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
73,128
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Nabeul 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Nabeul

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 Nabeul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sofia or Nabeul?
Nabeul wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nabeul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sofia or in Nabeul?
Average pay runs 581% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sofia compared to Nabeul?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $228 in Nabeul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Sofia and in Nabeul?
Childcare runs $774 in Sofia versus $60.3 in Nabeul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Sofia and in Nabeul?
Dining out is cheaper in Nabeul – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $66.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sofia or in Nabeul?
At $678 in Nabeul versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nabeul but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Nabeul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sofia or Nabeul?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nabeul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $678 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nabeul hard to pass up.
How safe is Sofia compared to Nabeul?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Nabeul are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nabeul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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