Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Rožňava

For one person, living is cheaper in Rožňava: $1,381 a month against $1,600 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Rožňava
🇸🇰 Slovakia
$1,381
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Rožňava

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,600 in Sofia versus $1,381 in Rožňava.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Rožňava $1,381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in Sofia versus $1,951 in Rožňava.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Rožňava $1,951

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,380 in Sofia versus $2,520 in Rožňava.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Rožňava $2,520

Living in Sofia is roughly 16% more expensive than in Rožňava, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sofia 18% above, Rožňava 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$6.68 €5.94
153.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$34.15 €30.38
99.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$10.02 €8.92
15.97%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$2.99 €2.66
14.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$2.29 €2.04
2.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$2.00 €1.78
-8.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$2.42 €2.15
40.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$2.48 €2.21
79.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$1.01 €0.90
95.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$0.93 €0.83
60.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$2.20 €1.96
5.91%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$3.40 €3.03
29.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$9.14 €8.13
26.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$7.69 €6.84
15.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$11.32 €10.07
54.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$1.50 €1.33
43.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$1.66 €1.48
24.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$2.21 €1.97
-12.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$2.67 €2.37
59.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$0.65 €0.58
58.46%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$0.69 €0.61
27.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$1.34 €1.20
-11.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$0.68 €0.61
30.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$5.51 €4.90
-23.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$3.31 €2.95
137.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$0.69 €0.62
71.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$1.38 €1.22
36.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$1.13 €1.01
-17.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$27.85 €24.77
1.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$2.29 €2.04
-26.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$0.93 €0.83
3.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$13.51 €12.02
13.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$1.88 €1.67
-5.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$26.5K €23.5K
15.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$22.8K €20.3K
10.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$223 €198
-29.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$19.12 €17.01
10.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$21.45 €19.08
-28.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
$45.37 €40.36
2.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
$15.23 €13.55
84.44%
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$8.91 €7.93
12.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$409 €364
89.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$7,287 €6,482
72.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$57.9 €51.5
52.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$31.24 €27.79
32.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$79.9 €71.0
33.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$96.6 €85.9
9.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$656 €583
17.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$531 €472
13.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$1,001 €891
56.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$779 €693
33.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$3,464 €3,081
31.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$2,750 €2,446
14.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Rožňava
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.57
-19.05%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rožňava: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Rožňava
$531 11.9% $71
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Rožňava
$211 27.4% $80
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Rožňava
$154 39.6% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Rožňava
$263 36.1% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Rožňava
$120 22.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Rožňava
$63 4.9% $3.3
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Rožňava
$39 2.1% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Sofia and $656 in Rožňava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Sofia vs $34.00 in Rožňava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $211 per month, with Rožňava cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇸🇰 Rožňava
🕒 Local time
19:00 7:00 PM
18:00 6:00 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
17,782
💱 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 Rožňava 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Rožňava

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 Rožňava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rožňava cheaper than Sofia?
Rožňava is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,400 in Sofia and $2,072 in Rožňava to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Sofia and Rožňava?
Rent for a central apartment: $770 in Sofia versus $656 in Rožňava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Sofia and in Rožňava?
All in, you'll spend $1,600 per month in Sofia versus $1,381 in Rožňava – a 16% 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 Rožňava runs roughly 2% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sofia or in Rožňava?
At $1,381 in Rožňava versus $1,600 in Sofia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rožňava but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Rožňava the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sofia or Rožňava more family-friendly?
For families, Rožňava is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sofia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sofia or Rožňava?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Rožňava 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 Rožňava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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