Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Razgrad

For one person, living is cheaper in Razgrad: $826 a month against $1,600 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Razgrad
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$826
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Razgrad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,600 in Sofia versus $826 in Razgrad.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Razgrad $826

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in Sofia versus $1,269 in Razgrad.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Razgrad $1,269

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,380 in Sofia versus $1,713 in Razgrad.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Razgrad $1,713

Living in Sofia is roughly 94% more expensive than in Razgrad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Razgrad is 39% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$8.44 BGN 14.68
100.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$22.52 BGN 39.18
203.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$8.71 BGN 15.16
33.41%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$1.90 BGN 3.30
80.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$1.58 BGN 2.74
48.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$1.15 BGN 2.01
59.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$1.81 BGN 3.15
88.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$2.33 BGN 4.06
90.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$1.65 BGN 2.87
19.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$0.82 BGN 1.43
81.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$2.18 BGN 3.79
6.88%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$3.31 BGN 5.75
33.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$6.92 BGN 12.05
66.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$7.87 BGN 13.69
12.83%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$13.98 BGN 24.33
25.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$1.25 BGN 2.18
72.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$1.79 BGN 3.11
15.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$1.48 BGN 2.57
30.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$1.86 BGN 3.23
128.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$0.82 BGN 1.42
25.61%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$0.99 BGN 1.72
-11.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$1.00 BGN 1.74
19.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$0.60 BGN 1.04
48.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$3.32 BGN 5.78
27.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$4.22 BGN 7.34
86.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$0.99 BGN 1.72
19.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$1.27 BGN 2.21
48.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$0.88 BGN 1.54
5.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$17.16 BGN 29.86
64.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$1.27 BGN 2.21
32.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$0.61 BGN 1.06
57.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$10.09 BGN 17.56
52.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$1.49 BGN 2.60
18.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$22.7K BGN 39.6K
34.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$25.0K BGN 43.4K
0.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$76.8 BGN 134
104.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$14.68 BGN 25.55
43.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$11.66 BGN 20.29
31.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
$26.36 BGN 45.88
75.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
$17.24 BGN 30.00
62.94%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$6.70 BGN 11.66
49.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$509 BGN 886
52.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$5,354 BGN 9,316
134.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$33.63 BGN 58.5
161.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$16.80 BGN 29.24
146.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$91.9 BGN 160
16.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$102 BGN 178
3.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$278 BGN 483
177.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$194 BGN 338
210.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$366 BGN 636
327.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$301 BGN 523
244.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$1,096 BGN 1,907
316.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$727 BGN 1,265
334.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Razgrad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
$1,209 BGN 2,104
44.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.1
-6.77%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Razgrad: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Razgrad
$194 67.7% $408
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Razgrad
$212 27% $79
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Razgrad
$141 44.6% $113
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Razgrad
$103 46.7% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Razgrad
$110 28.5% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Razgrad
$40 40.2% $27
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Razgrad
$25 35.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Sofia and $278 in Razgrad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 44% 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: $68.0 in Sofia vs $23.00 in Razgrad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $212 per month, with Razgrad cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇧🇬 Razgrad
🕒 Local time
15:28 3:28 PM
15:28 3:28 PM
Same time as Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
35,049
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Razgrad 280 km
From you
  • Sofia
  • Razgrad

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 Razgrad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sofia or Razgrad?
Razgrad wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Sofia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Razgrad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Sofia or in Razgrad?
Average pay runs 44% higher in Sofia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Sofia compared to Razgrad?
Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Sofia versus $278 in Razgrad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Sofia and in Razgrad?
Dining out is cheaper in Razgrad – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $68.0 in Sofia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Sofia compared to Razgrad?
All in, you'll spend $1,600 per month in Sofia versus $826 in Razgrad – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Sofia or in Razgrad?
At $826 in Razgrad versus $1,600 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Razgrad but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Razgrad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sofia or Razgrad?
Both work as nomad bases, but Razgrad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $826 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Razgrad hard to pass up.
How safe is Sofia compared to Razgrad?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Razgrad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Razgrad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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