Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Ohrid

For one person, living is cheaper in Ohrid: $968 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Ohrid
Learn more

Ohrid Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Ohrid

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$968

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Ohrid

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $968 in Ohrid, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Ohrid $968

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,539 in Ohrid, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Ohrid $1,539

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,110 in Ohrid, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Ohrid $2,110

Sofia costs about 65% more than Ohrid, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Ohrid is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$7.19 MKD 392

134.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$36.12 MKD 1,970

82.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$7.27 MKD 397

55.71%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$2.62 MKD 143

30.92%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$2.93 MKD 160

-17.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.84 MKD 100

0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$3.71 MKD 202

-0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$4.47 MKD 244

2.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.27 MKD 69.5

59.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$0.72 MKD 39.05

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.74 MKD 94.8

33.91%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$2.26 MKD 123

92.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$8.24 MKD 450

42.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$8.53 MKD 465

3.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$14.71 MKD 803

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.06 MKD 57.7

102.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.26 MKD 68.5

57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.50 MKD 81.8

28.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$1.99 MKD 108

113.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.10 MKD 60.3

-5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.36 MKD 74.1

-37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.04 MKD 56.6

10.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.79 MKD 42.94

12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$3.34 MKD 182

26.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$5.57 MKD 304

33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.09 MKD 59.5

5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.54 MKD 84.3

20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$1.06 MKD 57.9

-17.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$23.66 MKD 1,291

20.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.11 MKD 60.5

51.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.94 MKD 51.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$8.81 MKD 481

74.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.50 MKD 81.6

12.67%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.4K MKD 1.7M

-1.84%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$30.8K MKD 1.7M

-15.10%

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

$156 BGN 272

$127 MKD 6,949

22.53%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$17.88 MKD 975

20.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$26.68 MKD 1,456

-42.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$33.72 MKD 1,839

36.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$18.05 MKD 985

54.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$6.18 MKD 337

64.72%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$269 MKD 14.7K

188.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$3,382 MKD 184.5K

278.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$95.3 MKD 5,196

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$53.3 MKD 2,909

-22.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$102 MKD 5,544

3.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$135 MKD 7,348

-20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$286 MKD 15.6K

173.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$170 MKD 9,269

251.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$540 MKD 29.4K

180.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$361 MKD 19.7K

185.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,038 MKD 111.2K

113.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$1,334 MKD 72.8K

138.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$613 MKD 33.4K

183.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

7.3

-60.41%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Ohrid

$170 17.6% 71.5% $427

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Ohrid

$215 22.3% 25.8% $75

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Ohrid

$157 16.3% 38.3% $98

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Ohrid

$172 17.8% 10.9% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Ohrid

$173 17.9% 12.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Ohrid

$46 4.8% 30.7% $20

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Ohrid

$34 3.5% 12.1% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $286 in Ohrid. 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 183% 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 $36.00 in Ohrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $215 – making Ohrid the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇲🇰 Ohrid

🕒 Local time

06:19 6:19 AM

05:19 5:19 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

38,940

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Ohrid 270 km

From you

Sofia
Ohrid

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 Ohrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 65% more than Ohrid, 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 $2,391 per month in Sofia and $1,451 in Ohrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ohrid, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Sofia and $269 in Ohrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ohrid, where all-in costs run around $968, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Ohrid it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ohrid costs $968 versus $1,594 in Sofia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ohrid. 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.