Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Shumen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Shumen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,650 per month in Sofia vs $942 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,556 per month in Sofia vs $1,463 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,462 per month in Sofia vs $1,984 in Shumen, rent included.

Sofia costs about 75% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 20% above the global median, while Shumen is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 BGN 28.96

$9.62 BGN 16.00

80.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 BGN 109

$35.55 BGN 59.2

83.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 BGN 20.25

$9.22 BGN 15.34

32.00%

Cappuccino

$3.63 BGN 6.05

$1.81 BGN 3.01

100.55%

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

$2.36 BGN 3.92

$1.56 BGN 2.60

51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$1.06 BGN 1.76

83.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 BGN 5.89

$2.96 BGN 4.92

19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.59

$3.02 BGN 5.02

50.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.35

$1.86 BGN 3.09

8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 BGN 2.69

$1.12 BGN 1.86

44.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 BGN 4.02

$2.59 BGN 4.31

-6.56%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.33

$2.95 BGN 4.91

49.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.80 BGN 19.64

$9.49 BGN 15.78

24.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 BGN 15.39

$5.11 BGN 8.50

81.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 BGN 28.66

$9.43 BGN 15.69

82.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.61

$1.66 BGN 2.76

30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$2.14 BGN 3.57

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.24 BGN 3.73

-13.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 BGN 7.03

$2.27 BGN 3.78

85.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$2.18 BGN 3.63

-47.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$1.30 BGN 2.16

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 BGN 1.97

$0.86 BGN 1.43

37.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$0.85 BGN 1.41

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 BGN 7.21

$3.79 BGN 6.31

14.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 BGN 12.80

$7.57 BGN 12.59

1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.00

$0.95 BGN 1.57

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.52 BGN 2.54

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$0.99 BGN 1.64

-7.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.12 BGN 50.1

$26.74 BGN 44.48

12.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$1.75 BGN 2.90

7.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.52 BGN 0.86

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.21 BGN 26.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 BGN 2.94

$1.61 BGN 2.68

9.32%

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

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

$31.5K BGN 52.4K

-0.30%

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

$27.4K BGN 45.6K

$23.5K BGN 39.1K

16.54%

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

$170 BGN 283

$138 BGN 229

23.41%

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

$22.02 BGN 36.64

$18.52 BGN 30.81

18.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 BGN 25.67

$17.87 BGN 29.73

-13.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.50 BGN 79.0

$39.41 BGN 65.6

20.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.53 BGN 49.13

$11.77 BGN 19.58

150.89%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 BGN 17.18

$7.20 BGN 11.98

43.47%

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

$799 BGN 1,330

$594 BGN 988

34.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K BGN 22.2K

$10.8K BGN 18.0K

23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 BGN 147

$49.80 BGN 82.9

77.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 BGN 70.8

$52.5 BGN 87.4

-19.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BGN 179

$97.7 BGN 163

10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 BGN 187

$62.9 BGN 105

78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BGN 1,305

$278 BGN 463

181.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,034

$186 BGN 309

234.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 BGN 2,622

$452 BGN 752

248.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 BGN 1,785

$340 BGN 565

215.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,637 BGN 7,714

$1,280 BGN 2,129

262.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 BGN 5,581

$1,059 BGN 1,763

216.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 2,898

$1,046 BGN 1,740

66.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.25

-10.77%

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

Last update for Sofia: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shumen: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $784 in Sofia versus $278 in Shumen. 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 67% 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 $36.00 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $221 – making Shumen 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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,650 in Sofia, $942 in Shumen – roughly 75% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,475 per month in Sofia and $1,413 in Shumen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,650 in Sofia and $942 in Shumen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $942, than in Sofia at $1,650. In Shumen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia 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 $942 in Shumen to $1,650 in Sofia. 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 Shumen. 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.