Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Ostersund

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,594 a month against $1,729 in Ostersund, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. The total is higher in Ostersund despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
84

Cost of Living Index in Ostersund
Learn more

Ostersund Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Ostersund

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,729

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Ostersund

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,729 in Ostersund.

Sofia $1,594
Ostersund $1,729

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $2,687 in Ostersund.

Sofia $2,478
Ostersund $2,687

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $3,644 in Ostersund.

Sofia $3,361
Ostersund $3,644

Living in Sofia costs roughly 8% less than in Ostersund, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Ostersund 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$13.35 SEK 132

26.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$75.1 SEK 744

-12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$10.07 SEK 99.8

12.41%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$4.53 SEK 44.86

-24.28%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$2.56 SEK 25.38

-5.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$2.16 SEK 21.42

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$7.03 SEK 69.7

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$6.97 SEK 69.0

-34.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.43 SEK 14.16

41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$2.94 SEK 29.16

-46.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$4.58 SEK 45.43

-49.13%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.22 SEK 31.91

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$13.29 SEK 132

-11.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$11.28 SEK 112

-21.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$14.94 SEK 148

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$4.11 SEK 40.73

-47.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$2.77 SEK 27.49

-28.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$3.53 SEK 34.95

-45.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$3.87 SEK 38.37

9.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.61 SEK 15.96

-35.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.55 SEK 15.38

-45.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$2.20 SEK 21.82

-47.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$1.40 SEK 13.87

-36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$7.85 SEK 77.8

-46.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$10.11 SEK 100

-26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.96 SEK 19.38

-41.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$2.21 SEK 21.91

-16.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$3.33 SEK 32.96

-73.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$76.5 SEK 758

-62.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$5.85 SEK 57.9

-71.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$1.70 SEK 16.80

-44.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$58.8 SEK 583

-73.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.81 SEK 17.94

-6.63%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$33.3K SEK 329.5K

-10.40%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$32.1K SEK 317.8K

-18.53%

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

$156 BGN 272

$104 SEK 1,031

49.99%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$23.74 SEK 235

-9.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$38.74 SEK 384

-60.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$37.10 SEK 368

24.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$26.47 SEK 262

5.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$14.80 SEK 147

-31.22%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$124 SEK 1,231

523.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$5,033 SEK 49.9K

154.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$91.7 SEK 909

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$40.11 SEK 397

2.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$91.3 SEK 905

15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$138 SEK 1,366

-22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$803 SEK 7,957

-2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$615 SEK 6,094

-2.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$1,324 SEK 13.1K

14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$1,013 SEK 10.0K

1.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$3,940 SEK 39.0K

10.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$2,776 SEK 27.5K

14.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

3.45

-16.23%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ostersund: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Ostersund

$615 35.6% 3.1% $18

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Ostersund

$355 20.5% 22.1% $64

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Ostersund

$259 15% 1.8% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Ostersund

$167 9.6% 13.7% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Ostersund

$162 9.4% 5.2% $8.1

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Ostersund

$67 3.9% 0.4% $0.3

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Ostersund

$104 6% 171% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $803 in Ostersund. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Sofia vs $75.0 in Ostersund for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $355 per month, with Sofia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇪 Ostersund

🕒 Local time

05:06 5:06 AM

04:06 4:06 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

44,000

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sofia Ostersund 2,350 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Ostersund

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 Ostersund: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,391 in Sofia and $2,593 in Ostersund to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $803 in Ostersund. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,594 per month in Sofia versus $1,729 in Ostersund – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sofia runs roughly 168% less than in Ostersund. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,594 in Sofia versus $1,729 in Ostersund, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sofia but tight or insufficient in Ostersund. The gap between the two cities makes Sofia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Sofia and Ostersund 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 Sofia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Ostersund. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.