Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Qarshi

For one person, living is cheaper in Qarshi: $569 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Qarshi

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

$569

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Qarshi

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $569 in Qarshi, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Qarshi $569

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $877 in Qarshi, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Qarshi $877

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $1,186 in Qarshi, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Qarshi $1,186

Sofia costs about 179% more than Qarshi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Qarshi is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$10.12 UZS 121.2K

63.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$16.78 UZS 201.0K

303.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$9.33 UZS 111.8K

25.19%

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$0.98 UZS 11.7K

247.96%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.52 UZS 6,193

353.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.19 UZS 2,283

778.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

$0.69 UZS 8,321

478.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$1.21 UZS 14.4K

60.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.44 UZS 5,271

252.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$1.19 UZS 14.3K

97.48%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$1.53 UZS 18.3K

200.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$10.09 UZS 120.9K

13.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$3.26 UZS 39.0K

165.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$10.79 UZS 129.2K

60.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$1.11 UZS 13.3K

93.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$1.68 UZS 20.2K

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$1.86 UZS 22.3K

-1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$1.27 UZS 15.3K

236.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$0.48 UZS 5,793

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.24 UZS 2,873

270.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.43 UZS 5,162

93.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$3.31 UZS 39.7K

32.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$0.26 UZS 3,142

253.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$9.75 UZS 116.8K

188.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$0.35 UZS 4,134

142.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$1.33 UZS 16.0K

30.83%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

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

$158 BGN 275

$66.0 UZS 791.2K

139.04%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$3.85 UZS 46.2K

452.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$12.42 UZS 148.8K

21.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$34.04 UZS 407.8K

37.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

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

$815 BGN 1,419

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$4,537 UZS 54.4M

222.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$277 UZS 3.3M

177.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$170 UZS 2.0M

248.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$426 UZS 5.1M

258.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$308 UZS 3.7M

244.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$346 UZS 4.1M

414.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Qarshi: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Qarshi

–

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Qarshi

–

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Qarshi

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Qarshi

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Qarshi

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Qarshi

–

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Qarshi

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $277 in Qarshi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Sofia are about 5.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $17 in Qarshi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $143 – making Qarshi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇺🇿 Qarshi

🕒 Local time

04:32 4:32 AM

07:32 7:32 AM

3 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

289,600

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Uzbekistani Som UZS soʻm

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.514 EUR

100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD

100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UZS, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.94 BGN (1 BGN = 0.514 EUR).

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 11,980 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD). 1 EUR = 13,388 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.47 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Qarshi 3,560 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Qarshi

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 Qarshi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sofia is pricier by about 179%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $853 in Qarshi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qarshi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Qarshi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 102% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qarshi, where all-in costs run around $569, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Qarshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $569 in Qarshi to $1,585 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Qarshi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.