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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Sofia vs $1,024 in Sanaa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,556 per month in Sofia vs $1,597 in Sanaa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,462 per month in Sofia vs $2,171 in Sanaa, rent included.

Sofia costs about 61% more than Sanaa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 20% above the global median, while Sanaa is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 BGN 28.96

$6.18 YER 1,462

181.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 BGN 109

$25.63 YER 6,068

155.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 BGN 20.25

$9.77 YER 2,312

24.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 582

Cappuccino

$3.63 BGN 6.05

$3.79 YER 897

-4.22%

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

$2.36 BGN 3.92

$1.18 YER 280

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$0.65 YER 153

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.35

$1.99 YER 472

1.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$1.70 YER 403

-4.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 BGN 4.02

$2.05 YER 486

18.05%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.33

$3.53 YER 836

24.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 BGN 19.64

$17.06 YER 4,038

-30.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 BGN 15.39

$8.45 YER 2,001

9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 BGN 28.66

$18.55 YER 4,391

-7.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$3.42 YER 809

-36.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$1.02 YER 241

100.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.21 YER 523

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.03

$1.56 YER 369

170.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.47 YER 347

-21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$1.32 YER 312

-24.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.97

$1.20 YER 283

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$0.63 YER 150

42.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 YER 786

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 YER 422

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 812

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 BGN 7.21

$5.53 YER 1,309

-21.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$0.44 YER 103

109.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.12 BGN 50.1

$83.5 YER 19.8K

-63.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$4.26 YER 1,009

-55.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$2.13 YER 505

-57.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 BGN 26.96

$7.47 YER 1,769

117.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 BGN 2.94

$2.02 YER 479

-12.87%

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

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

$17.1K YER 4.0M

83.54%

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

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

$35.4K YER 8.4M

-22.62%

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

$170 BGN 283

$109 YER 25.9K

55.41%

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

$22.02 BGN 36.64

$23.95 YER 5,669

-8.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 BGN 25.67

$101 YER 23.8K

-84.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.50 BGN 79.0

$65.9 YER 15.6K

-27.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.53 BGN 49.13

$15.92 YER 3,768

85.49%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 BGN 17.18

$5.85 YER 1,384

76.58%

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

$799 BGN 1,330

$114 YER 27.0K

601.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

$2,204 YER 521.7K

506.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 BGN 147

$42.00 YER 9,943

110.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 BGN 70.8

$122 YER 28.9K

-65.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BGN 179

$47.26 YER 11.2K

127.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 BGN 187

$40.14 YER 9,501

179.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BGN 1,305

$218 YER 51.5K

260.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,034

$96.3 YER 22.8K

545.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 BGN 2,622

$408 YER 96.5K

286.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 BGN 1,785

$269 YER 63.7K

298.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,637 BGN 7,714

$4,221 YER 999.2K

9.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 BGN 5,581

$797 YER 188.7K

320.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 2,898

$191 YER 45.2K

812.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

11.25

-74.22%

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

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sanaa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Sofia versus $218 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 813% 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 $65.0 in Sofia versus $26.00 in Sanaa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $268 – 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 61% more than Sanaa, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,475 per month in Sofia and $1,535 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 10% 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 $65.0 in Sofia and $26.00 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 $1,024, than in Sofia at $1,650. 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 $1,024 versus $1,650 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.