Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Prilep

For one person, living is cheaper in Prilep: $728 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Prilep
Learn more

Prilep Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Prilep

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$728

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Prilep

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $728 in Prilep, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Prilep $728

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,102 in Prilep, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Prilep $1,102

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $1,475 in Prilep, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Prilep $1,475

Sofia costs about 119% more than Prilep, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Prilep is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$4.02 MKD 219

319.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$27.36 MKD 1,493

140.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$5.69 MKD 311

98.95%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$1.40 MKD 76.2

145.00%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.53 MKD 83.7

57.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$1.24 MKD 67.7

49.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$1.58 MKD 86.0

134.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$2.04 MKD 111

124.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.13 MKD 61.4

78.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$0.72 MKD 39.21

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.53 MKD 83.5

52.29%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$2.03 MKD 110

114.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$6.91 MKD 377

70.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$5.86 MKD 320

50.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$10.88 MKD 594

60.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$0.87 MKD 47.62

147.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.38 MKD 75.5

43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$0.94 MKD 51.1

105.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$1.30 MKD 71.2

226.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.78 MKD 42.29

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$0.77 MKD 42.04

10.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$0.59 MKD 32.01

94.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.45 MKD 24.62

97.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$2.86 MKD 156

47.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$4.94 MKD 269

51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$0.95 MKD 51.8

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.18 MKD 64.6

56.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$0.37 MKD 20.43

135.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$18.48 MKD 1,008

54.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.06 MKD 57.8

58.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.60 MKD 32.82

56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$6.51 MKD 355

135.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.46 MKD 79.7

15.75%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-10.55%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$26.9K MKD 1.5M

-2.79%

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

$156 BGN 272

$121 MKD 6,627

28.48%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$16.81 MKD 917

28.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$13.98 MKD 763

9.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$19.64 MKD 1,072

134.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$8.20 MKD 448

240.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$5.31 MKD 290

91.71%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$277 MKD 15.1K

179.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$1,161 MKD 63.3K

1003.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$36.80 MKD 2,008

144.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$36.16 MKD 1,973

14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$65.3 MKD 3,562

61.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$77.5 MKD 4,229

37.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$233 MKD 12.7K

235.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$169 MKD 9,201

253.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$497 MKD 27.1K

204.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$271 MKD 14.8K

279.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$1,021 MKD 55.7K

325.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$813 MKD 44.3K

291.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$586 MKD 32.0K

196.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.23

-31.68%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Prilep: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Prilep

$169 23.2% 71.7% $428

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Prilep

$167 22.9% 42.5% $124

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Prilep

$89 12.2% 65% $166

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Prilep

$152 20.9% 21.1% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Prilep

$97 13.3% 37.1% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Prilep

$30 4.2% 54.4% $36

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Prilep

$24 3.3% 37.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $233 in Prilep. 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 196% 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 $27.00 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $167 – making Prilep the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇲🇰 Prilep

🕒 Local time

07:05 7:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

63,308

💱 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

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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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 119% more than Prilep, 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 $1,092 in Prilep. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prilep, 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 $277 in Prilep. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 Prilep, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Prilep it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prilep costs $728 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 Prilep. 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.