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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Sofia vs $914 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,143 per month in Sofia vs $1,460 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Sofia vs $2,006 in Sanaa, rent included.

Sofia costs about 49% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Sanaa is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 BGN 19.51

$6.33 YER 1,499

85.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.80 BGN 82.8

$22.96 YER 5,433

116.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$10.47 YER 2,479

-16.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 YER 417

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 YER 431

Cappuccino

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$3.69 YER 873

-28.73%

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

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.16 YER 274

53.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$0.47 YER 111

202.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.88 YER 446

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.22 YER 289

-1.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.48 YER 588

-19.76%

Eggs

$3.96 BGN 6.58

$4.03 YER 953

-1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 BGN 20.26

$9.87 YER 2,337

23.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$6.69 YER 1,582

30.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 BGN 21.60

$18.58 YER 4,397

-30.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$3.85 YER 912

-50.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$1.39 YER 329

41.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.39 YER 566

-16.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 BGN 4.57

$1.64 YER 389

67.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.79 YER 424

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.62 YER 384

-35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.63 YER 149

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.73 YER 172

-9.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.38 YER 800

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 YER 395

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 YER 775

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 BGN 6.43

$4.05 YER 958

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$0.42 YER 101

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$81.8 YER 19.4K

-63.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$4.15 YER 982

-65.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$4.03 YER 953

-80.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$7.02 YER 1,661

104.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$2.74 YER 648

-42.70%

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

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

$16.7K YER 3.9M

92.34%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

$33.9K YER 8.0M

-14.39%

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

$150 BGN 249

$71.5 YER 16.9K

109.50%

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

$17.78 BGN 29.57

$13.56 YER 3,209

31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 BGN 25.62

$38.21 YER 9,042

-59.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 BGN 73.2

$67.4 YER 16.0K

-34.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 BGN 35.73

$16.43 YER 3,889

30.74%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 BGN 15.98

$5.89 YER 1,394

63.16%

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

$642 BGN 1,068

$112 YER 26.6K

472.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

$1,809 YER 428.2K

413.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 BGN 120

$39.44 YER 9,336

82.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 BGN 59.5

$147 YER 34.8K

-75.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 178

$40.85 YER 9,668

162.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$41.77 YER 9,885

184.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 BGN 1,156

$166 YER 39.4K

317.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BGN 838

$95.4 YER 22.6K

428.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 BGN 2,091

$403 YER 95.4K

211.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$261 YER 61.7K

242.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 BGN 7,356

$4,070 YER 963.3K

8.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$808 YER 191.1K

313.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,785

$190 YER 45.0K

779.88%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Sofia versus $166 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 780% 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 $50.0 in Sofia versus $23.00 in Sanaa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $241 – 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 49% 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 $2,047 per month in Sofia and $1,371 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 $50.0 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 $914, than in Sofia at $1,365. 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 $914 versus $1,365 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.