Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Rennes

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,600 a month against $1,722 in Rennes, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Rennes despite lower rent and utilities.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Rennes
🇫🇷 France
$1,722
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Rennes

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,600 in Sofia versus $1,722 in Rennes.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Rennes $1,722

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in Sofia versus $2,694 in Rennes.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Rennes $2,694

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,380 in Sofia versus $3,666 in Rennes.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Rennes $3,666

Living in Sofia costs roughly 7% less than in Rennes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Rennes 27% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$14.73 €13.10
15.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$68.2 €60.7
0.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$13.30 €11.83
-12.63%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$3.53 €3.14
-2.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$2.60 €2.31
-10.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$2.08 €1.85
-12.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$7.93 €7.06
-57.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$5.71 €5.08
-22.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$1.20 €1.07
64.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$1.98 €1.76
-24.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$3.33 €2.96
-30.03%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$3.68 €3.28
19.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$17.15 €15.25
-32.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$13.44 €11.95
-33.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$23.62 €21.01
-25.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$3.27 €2.91
-34.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$2.00 €1.78
3.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$2.50 €2.22
-22.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$3.30 €2.94
28.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$2.38 €2.12
-56.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$1.44 €1.28
-38.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$1.55 €1.38
-23.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$0.90 €0.80
-1.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$13.25 €11.78
-68.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$6.89 €6.13
14.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$3.41 €3.03
-65.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$3.48 €3.10
-45.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$1.87 €1.66
-50.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$57.2 €50.8
-50.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$8.78 €7.81
-80.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$1.21 €1.08
-20.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$32.98 €29.34
-53.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$2.15 €1.91
-17.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$34.7K €30.9K
-12.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$37.6K €33.4K
-33.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$156 €139
0.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$13.30 €11.83
58.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$30.84 €27.43
-50.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
$40.83 €36.31
13.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
$12.48 €11.11
125.08%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$13.65 €12.14
-26.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$904 €805
-14.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$9,919 €8,823
26.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$85.3 €75.9
3.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$56.5 €50.3
-26.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$112 €100.0
-4.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$104 €92.3
2.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$789 €702
-2.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$574 €511
4.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$1,361 €1,210
14.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$1,048 €932
-1.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$6,353 €5,651
-28.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$3,149 €2,801
0.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Rennes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
$2,873 €2,555
-39.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.91
-26.09%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rennes: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Rennes
$574 4.6% $28
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Rennes
$369 26.8% $78
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Rennes
$270 6.1% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Rennes
$200 3.5% $6.9
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Rennes
$161 4.5% $7
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Rennes
$68 2.5% $1.7
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Rennes
$79 106% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Sofia and $789 in Rennes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rennes pays 65% 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 $68.0 in Rennes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $369 per month, with Sofia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇫🇷 Rennes
🕒 Local time
19:00 7:00 PM
18:00 6:00 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
225,081
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Rennes 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Rennes

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 Rennes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rennes cheaper than Sofia?
Sofia is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sofia or Rennes?
On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Rennes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Sofia and Rennes?
Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Sofia versus $789 in Rennes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Rennes?
All in, you'll spend $1,600 per month in Sofia versus $1,722 in Rennes – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Sofia runs roughly 102% less than in Rennes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Rennes?
At $1,600 in Sofia versus $1,722 in Rennes, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sofia but tight or insufficient in Rennes. The gap between the two cities makes Sofia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sofia or Rennes more family-friendly?
For families, Sofia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rennes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Rennes?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Rennes 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sofia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Rennes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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