Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Setubal Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Setubal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,373 per month in Sofia vs $1,668 in Setubal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Sofia vs $2,390 in Setubal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,892 per month in Sofia vs $3,113 in Setubal, rent included.

Sofia is about 18% cheaper than Setubal, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Sofia and Setubal sit above the global median – Sofia by 2%, Setubal by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 BGN 19.78

$11.37 €9.78

4.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 BGN 84.2

$46.04 €39.60

9.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 BGN 14.57

$8.98 €7.73

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$2.60 BGN 4.32

$2.00 €1.72

30.00%

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

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.75 €1.51

-0.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 BGN 2.38

$1.28 €1.10

11.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$2.37 €2.04

23.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 BGN 5.37

$3.57 €3.07

-9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.23

$1.06 €0.91

83.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.77 €1.52

-32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.92 €1.65

3.65%

Eggs

$3.82 BGN 6.35

$3.01 €2.59

26.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 BGN 20.86

$11.27 €9.70

11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 BGN 14.55

$7.98 €6.86

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.29 BGN 22.11

$14.08 €12.11

-5.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$2.57 €2.21

-26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.51 €1.30

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.33

$1.76 €1.52

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 BGN 4.73

$2.99 €2.58

-5.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.31 €1.13

-16.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.69

$1.80 €1.55

-43.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$1.60 €1.38

-26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.88 €0.76

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 BGN 6.33

$6.20 €5.33

-38.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 BGN 12.73

$4.68 €4.03

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$1.09 €0.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$2.70 €2.32

-33.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$4.29 €3.69

-78.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.72 BGN 49.45

$47.11 €40.52

-36.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$3.68 €3.16

-59.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$1.03 €0.89

-26.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$14.54 €12.51

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.97 €1.70

-23.35%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$38.8K €33.4K

-16.34%

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

$28.4K BGN 47.3K

$39.9K €34.3K

-28.77%

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

$154 BGN 256

$102 €87.7

51.09%

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

$18.05 BGN 30.04

$21.19 €18.23

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$41.62 €35.80

-64.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 BGN 73.3

$31.03 €26.69

41.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 BGN 36.40

$16.35 €14.06

33.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 BGN 15.37

$7.97 €6.85

15.93%

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

$624 BGN 1,037

$350 €301

78.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,327 BGN 15.5K

$7,286 €6,268

28.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 BGN 119

$69.6 €59.8

2.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 BGN 59.5

$33.84 €29.11

5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$71.2 €61.2

47.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$99.0 €85.2

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 BGN 1,157

$957 €823

-27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 BGN 834

$829 €713

-39.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,296 BGN 2,157

$1,381 €1,188

-6.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 BGN 1,513

$1,144 €984

-20.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,510 BGN 7,502

$4,333 €3,727

4.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,161 BGN 5,258

$2,441 €2,100

29.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,786

$1,343 €1,156

24.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

5.01

-38.32%

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

Last update for Sofia: May 30, 2026

Last update for Setubal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Sofia versus $957 in Setubal. 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 25% higher in Sofia, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Sofia versus $46.00 in Setubal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $253 – making Setubal 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 Setubal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,373 in Sofia, $1,668 in Setubal – roughly 21% apart. Setubal costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,060 per month in Sofia and $2,502 in Setubal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Sofia and $46.00 in Setubal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,373 in Sofia and $1,668 in Setubal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,373, than in Setubal at $1,668. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setubal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,373 in Sofia to $1,668 in Setubal. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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