Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Sanaa Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Sanaa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $900 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $1,466 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $2,032 in Sanaa, rent included.

Sofia costs about 53% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Sanaa is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$6.11 YER 1,455

94.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$22.83 YER 5,440

121.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$10.15 YER 2,418

-13.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 YER 432

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 YER 430

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$3.72 YER 888

-30.11%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.14 YER 273

52.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$0.46 YER 110

210.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.91 YER 455

1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.20 YER 287

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.47 YER 589

-19.43%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$4.03 YER 959

-5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$9.86 YER 2,350

27.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$6.82 YER 1,625

28.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$19.15 YER 4,563

-30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$3.92 YER 933

-51.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.44 YER 344

31.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$2.41 YER 574

-17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$1.64 YER 391

73.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.70 YER 405

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.57 YER 374

-35.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$0.64 YER 151

84.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.74 YER 176

-10.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 YER 782

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 YER 394

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 YER 772

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$3.91 YER 932

-2.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$0.42 YER 101

119.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$82.1 YER 19.6K

-63.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$4.21 YER 1,004

-64.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$3.99 YER 952

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$7.32 YER 1,745

95.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$2.68 YER 640

-43.66%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$16.4K YER 3.9M

97.65%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$33.5K YER 8.0M

-15.24%

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

$154 BGN 256

$72.3 YER 17.2K

112.97%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$13.70 YER 3,266

31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$38.45 YER 9,163

-61.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$66.6 YER 15.9K

-33.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$16.68 YER 3,975

31.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$5.90 YER 1,405

56.61%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$116 YER 27.5K

439.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$1,808 YER 430.7K

415.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$39.29 YER 9,363

81.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$148 YER 35.2K

-75.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$41.65 YER 9,924

152.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$42.36 YER 10.1K

180.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$167 YER 39.8K

316.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$95.3 YER 22.7K

425.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$410 YER 97.8K

215.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$265 YER 63.2K

242.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$4,123 YER 982.5K

9.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$819 YER 195.1K

286.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$191 YER 45.5K

776.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

11.25

-72.53%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $167 in Sanaa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 776% higher in Sofia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Sofia versus $23.00 in Sanaa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $244 – making Sanaa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sanaa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia costs about 53% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,060 per month in Sofia and $1,350 in Sanaa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanaa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Sofia and $23.00 in Sanaa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanaa, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Sofia at $1,373. In Sanaa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sanaa costs $900 versus $1,373 in Sofia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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