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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,633 per month in Sofia vs $1,698 in Setubal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in Sofia vs $2,439 in Setubal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,443 per month in Sofia vs $3,181 in Setubal, rent included.

Sofia is about 4% cheaper than Setubal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sofia and Setubal sit above the global median – Sofia by 19%, Setubal by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 BGN 29.27

$13.45 €11.73

30.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 BGN 108

$49.14 €42.83

32.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 BGN 20.20

$9.40 €8.20

29.15%

Cappuccino

$3.57 BGN 5.94

$1.97 €1.72

81.22%

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

$2.34 BGN 3.90

$2.05 €1.79

14.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.16

$1.15 €1.00

65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 BGN 5.83

$2.36 €2.06

48.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 BGN 7.81

$3.40 €2.96

38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.04 €0.91

96.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.58

$1.60 €1.39

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 BGN 4.01

$1.74 €1.51

38.51%

Eggs

$4.49 BGN 7.48

$3.51 €3.06

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 BGN 20.16

$12.18 €10.62

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 BGN 15.01

$7.73 €6.74

16.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.55 BGN 29.20

$15.15 €13.21

15.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 BGN 3.71

$2.48 €2.16

-10.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BGN 3.53

$1.44 €1.26

47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.86 €1.62

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.02

$2.90 €2.53

45.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$1.70 €1.48

-33.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 BGN 1.65

$2.11 €1.84

-53.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BGN 1.95

$1.59 €1.39

-26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.48

$0.73 €0.64

21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$5.95 €5.18

-28.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.36 BGN 12.25

$4.74 €4.13

55.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 BGN 2.04

$0.89 €0.78

38.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$2.19 €1.91

-15.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$4.35 €3.79

-77.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.26 BGN 48.68

$45.69 €39.83

-35.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 BGN 3.02

$3.78 €3.29

-52.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 BGN 1.53

$1.42 €1.23

-35.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 BGN 26.23

$14.57 €12.70

8.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 BGN 2.86

$2.12 €1.85

-18.87%

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

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

$34.8K €30.3K

-11.51%

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

$27.2K BGN 45.2K

$38.7K €33.8K

-29.91%

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

$169 BGN 281

$103 €90.0

63.81%

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

$21.50 BGN 35.77

$21.73 €18.94

-1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.18 BGN 25.25

$33.88 €29.54

-55.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.79 BGN 81.2

$32.49 €28.32

50.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.42 BGN 47.29

$16.19 €14.12

75.54%

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 BGN 17.54

$7.90 €6.89

33.42%

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

$770 BGN 1,280

$606 €528

27.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 21.3K

$11.2K €9,742

14.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.4 BGN 149

$69.8 €60.8

28.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 BGN 73.3

$38.25 €33.34

15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 175

$72.3 €63.0

45.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 BGN 185

$96.2 €83.9

15.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 BGN 1,323

$1,025 €894

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 BGN 1,005

$849 €740

-28.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,560 BGN 2,595

$1,694 €1,477

-7.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 BGN 1,809

$1,197 €1,044

-9.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,498 BGN 7,483

$4,299 €3,747

4.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,352 BGN 5,577

$2,433 €2,121

37.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,772 BGN 2,948

$1,329 €1,158

33.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.85

-24.68%

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

Last update for Sofia: September 15, 2026

Last update for Setubal: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $795 in Sofia versus $1,025 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 33% 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 $65.0 in Sofia versus $49.00 in Setubal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $254 – 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: $1,633 in Sofia, $1,698 in Setubal – roughly 4% apart. Setubal costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,450 per month in Sofia and $2,547 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 $65.0 in Sofia and $49.00 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 $1,633 in Sofia and $1,698 in Setubal. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,633, than in Setubal at $1,698. 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 $1,633 in Sofia to $1,698 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.