Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Ourense Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Ourense

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,659 in Sofia versus $1,375 in Ourense.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,553 in Sofia versus $2,056 in Ourense.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Sofia versus $2,738 in Ourense.

Living in Sofia is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ourense, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 20% above, Ourense 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 BGN 28.51

$14.09 €12.15

21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.0 BGN 106

$52.0 €44.80

23.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.13 BGN 20.18

$9.51 €8.20

27.55%

Cappuccino

$3.55 BGN 5.91

$1.89 €1.63

87.83%

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

$2.45 BGN 4.08

$2.63 €2.27

-6.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BGN 3.22

$1.74 €1.50

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

$3.70 €3.19

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 BGN 7.65

$3.68 €3.17

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 BGN 3.46

$1.17 €1.01

77.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.21 €1.04

25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BGN 3.84

$1.44 €1.24

60.42%

Eggs

$4.55 BGN 7.57

$3.24 €2.80

40.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 BGN 19.76

$10.83 €9.34

9.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 BGN 14.88

$7.69 €6.63

16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.42 BGN 28.99

$14.59 €12.57

19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$2.35 €2.03

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$2.19 €1.88

-5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.17

$1.59 €1.37

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 BGN 6.85

$2.35 €2.02

75.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$1.77 €1.53

-37.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 BGN 1.58

$2.02 €1.74

-52.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.10 €0.95

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.41

$0.48 €0.42

77.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 BGN 7.46

$6.20 €5.35

-27.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.34

$5.61 €4.84

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BGN 1.99

$1.27 €1.09

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.20

$2.34 €2.01

-17.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 BGN 1.57

$0.97 €0.84

-2.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.10 BGN 50.1

$29.49 €25.42

2.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$4.58 €3.95

-60.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.14 €0.99

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 BGN 26.58

$19.61 €16.91

-18.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.77 €1.53

0.56%

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

$31.5K BGN 52.3K

$25.7K €22.2K

22.24%

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

$27.9K BGN 46.5K

$28.8K €24.8K

-2.98%

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

$165 BGN 274

$110 €94.6

49.97%

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

$21.72 BGN 36.13

$20.36 €17.55

6.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 BGN 24.94

$29.27 €25.23

-48.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.62 BGN 80.9

$43.17 €37.22

12.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.09 BGN 48.40

$13.24 €11.41

119.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.52 BGN 17.50

$8.86 €7.64

18.74%

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

$781 BGN 1,298

$350 €302

122.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K BGN 22.0K

$8,856 €7,634

49.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BGN 152

$105 €90.3

-12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.54 BGN 72.4

$37.24 €32.10

16.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 176

$83.7 €72.2

26.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 BGN 182

$84.8 €73.1

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 BGN 1,345

$663 €571

22.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 BGN 1,030

$544 €469

13.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 BGN 2,638

$873 €753

81.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 BGN 1,825

$717 €618

53.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,590 BGN 7,635

$3,309 €2,852

38.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$2,246 €1,936

48.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,796 BGN 2,988

$1,705 €1,470

5.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

2.96

-2.03%

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

Last update for Sofia: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ourense: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Sofia and $663 in Ourense. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 5% 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: $64.0 in Sofia vs $52.0 in Ourense for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $242 per month, with Ourense cheaper across the board.

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 Ourense: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia and Ourense differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,659 vs $1,375 including rent). Ourense is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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: $809 in Sofia versus $663 in Ourense. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,659 per month in Sofia versus $1,375 in Ourense – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ourense runs roughly 2% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,375 in Ourense versus $1,659 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ourense but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Ourense the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sofia and Ourense 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 Ourense gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.