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: $1,373 in Sofia versus $1,315 in Ourense.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Sofia versus $1,927 in Ourense.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,892 in Sofia versus $2,539 in Ourense.

Living in Sofia is roughly 4% more expensive than Ourense, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 2% above, Ourense is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$17.69 €15.22

-32.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$59.0 €50.7

-14.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$6.29 €5.41

39.27%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$1.92 €1.65

35.42%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$2.46 €2.12

-29.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$1.71 €1.47

-16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$2.97 €2.55

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$3.51 €3.02

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.11 €0.96

74.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.06 €0.91

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.28 €1.10

55.47%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$2.94 €2.53

29.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$10.61 €9.13

18.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.50 €6.45

16.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$12.94 €11.13

2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.81 €1.56

4.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$2.22 €1.91

-14.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.86 €1.60

7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$2.25 €1.93

26.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.78 €1.53

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$2.37 €2.04

-56.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.15 €0.99

2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.79 €0.68

-16.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$6.24 €5.37

-38.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$8.02 €6.90

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.17 €1.01

-6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$2.54 €2.19

-29.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.94 €0.80

-2.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$29.29 €25.19

1.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$4.73 €4.07

-68.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$0.54 €0.47

40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$57.4 €49.40

-75.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.73 €1.49

-12.72%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$38.3K €33.0K

-15.26%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$31.8K €27.3K

-10.61%

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

$154 BGN 256

$109 €93.9

41.14%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$21.48 €18.47

-15.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$32.49 €27.95

-53.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$46.99 €40.42

-6.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$5.71 €4.92

283.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$8.90 €7.66

3.82%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$360 €310

73.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$8,063 €6,935

15.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$77.0 €66.2

-7.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$25.64 €22.05

39.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$88.2 €75.9

19.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$75.5 €64.9

57.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$643 €553

8.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$469 €404

6.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$795 €684

63.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$564 €485

61.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$2,695 €2,318

67.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$1,914 €1,647

65.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,531 €1,317

9.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

3.22

-4.04%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ourense: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $696 in Sofia and $643 in Ourense. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 9% 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: $51.0 in Sofia vs $59.0 in Ourense. Groceries flip the comparison at $261 vs $239, with Ourense cheaper for home cooking.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,373 vs $1,315 including rent). Ourense is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sofia pays 9% more on average, 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: $696 in Sofia versus $643 in Ourense. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,373 per month in Sofia versus $1,315 in Ourense – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ourense runs roughly 1% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,315 in Ourense versus $1,373 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 4% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.