Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Safi

For one person, living is cheaper in Safi: $585 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,594
/mo nomad
Safi
🇲🇦 Morocco
$585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Safi

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,594 in Sofia versus $585 in Safi.

  • Sofia $1,594
  • Safi $585

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,478 in Sofia versus $917 in Safi.

  • Sofia $2,478
  • Safi $917

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,361 in Sofia versus $1,250 in Safi.

  • Sofia $3,361
  • Safi $1,250

Living in Sofia is roughly 172% more expensive than in Safi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Safi is 57% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 BGN 29.35
$3.04 MAD 29.65
454.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8 BGN 115
$20.72 MAD 202
217.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.32 BGN 19.69
$4.55 MAD 44.41
148.79%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$1.54 MAD 15.00
122.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 BGN 4.19
$0.54 MAD 5.23
346.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.22
$0.34 MAD 3.28
444.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 BGN 6.44
$1.52 MAD 14.82
143.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.58 BGN 7.97
$1.52 MAD 14.80
201.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 BGN 3.51
$0.82 MAD 7.95
146.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.56 BGN 2.72
$0.47 MAD 4.55
231.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$1.53 MAD 14.96
52.29%
Eggs
$4.36 BGN 7.59
$1.73 MAD 16.84
152.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.76 BGN 20.47
$6.87 MAD 67.0
71.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.83 BGN 15.37
$6.85 MAD 66.8
28.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.46 BGN 30.38
$8.98 MAD 87.6
94.43%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$1.15 MAD 11.20
86.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 BGN 3.44
$1.16 MAD 11.34
70.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$0.82 MAD 7.96
135.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.24 BGN 7.37
$0.67 MAD 6.52
532.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 BGN 1.80
$0.61 MAD 5.91
70.49%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 BGN 1.48
$0.80 MAD 7.84
6.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 BGN 2.00
$0.40 MAD 3.92
187.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.56
$0.57 MAD 5.51
56.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 BGN 7.33
$3.72 MAD 36.26
13.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.46 BGN 12.98
$7.35 MAD 71.6
1.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 BGN 2.01
$1.86 MAD 18.09
-38.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 BGN 3.23
$1.78 MAD 17.33
3.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Safi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.51
$0.44 MAD 4.30
97.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.53 BGN 49.65
$10.48 MAD 102
172.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$0.71 MAD 6.93
136.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.94 BGN 1.63
$0.55 MAD 5.32
70.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.35 BGN 26.70
$6.02 MAD 58.7
154.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.69 BGN 2.94
$1.45 MAD 14.17
16.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K BGN 51.9K
$31.4K MAD 305.7K
-4.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K BGN 45.5K
$30.6K MAD 298.3K
-14.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 272
$35.89 MAD 350
334.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.56 BGN 37.52
$10.31 MAD 100
109.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.24 BGN 26.51
$33.94 MAD 331
-55.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 BGN 80.2
$18.83 MAD 184
144.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.92 BGN 48.58
$5.27 MAD 51.3
429.79%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 BGN 17.72
$3.54 MAD 34.55
187.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$774 BGN 1,347
$97.5 MAD 950
694.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.3K
$3,667 MAD 35.8K
249.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.9 BGN 157
$39.69 MAD 387
126.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.29 BGN 71.8
$33.43 MAD 326
23.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 BGN 183
$93.5 MAD 911
12.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 BGN 186
$36.63 MAD 357
191.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Safi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$783 BGN 1,362
$279 MAD 2,718
180.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$597 BGN 1,038
$135 MAD 1,319
341.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 BGN 2,638
$466 MAD 4,548
225.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,030 BGN 1,792
$246 MAD 2,395
319.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,350 BGN 7,568
$892 MAD 8,693
387.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,177 BGN 5,528
$560 MAD 5,458
467.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Safi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,735 BGN 3,019
$443 MAD 4,318
291.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
4.55
-36.48%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Safi: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$597
Safi
$135 77.3% $462
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$290
Safi
$166 42.7% $124
Eating Out
Sofia
$255
Safi
$71 72.3% $184
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Safi
$80 58.5% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Safi
$91 40.8% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Safi
$26 61% $41
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Safi
$16 59.1% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Sofia and $279 in Safi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 292% 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: $66.0 in Sofia vs $21.00 in Safi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $166 per month, with Safi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇲🇦 Safi
🕒 Local time
04:47 4:47 AM
02:47 2:47 AM
2 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
323,888
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Safi 3,070 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Safi

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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sofia and in Safi?
Sofia and Safi differ by about 172% in total monthly costs ($1,594 vs $585 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Sofia or Safi?
Average pay runs 292% 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 do apartment prices compare in Sofia and in Safi?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Sofia versus $279 in Safi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sofia and Safi?
Childcare runs $774 in Sofia versus $97.5 in Safi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Sofia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $585 in Safi versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Safi but tight or insufficient in Sofia. The gap between the two cities makes Safi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Safi?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Sofia or Safi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Sofia and Safi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Sofia or Safi?
Expats usually find Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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