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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Sofia vs $891 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,143 per month in Sofia vs $1,377 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Sofia vs $1,864 in Shumen, rent included.

Sofia costs about 53% more than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Shumen is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 BGN 19.51

$9.76 BGN 16.23

20.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.80 BGN 82.8

$29.74 BGN 49.47

67.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$8.80 BGN 14.64

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$1.66 BGN 2.77

58.43%

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

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.36 BGN 2.27

30.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$0.71 BGN 1.18

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

$2.07 BGN 3.44

43.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

$2.32 BGN 3.86

40.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.69 BGN 2.82

10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.88 BGN 1.46

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.96 BGN 3.25

1.53%

Eggs

$3.96 BGN 6.58

$3.18 BGN 5.28

24.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 BGN 20.26

$9.45 BGN 15.72

28.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$5.82 BGN 9.69

49.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 BGN 21.60

$11.59 BGN 19.29

11.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$1.71 BGN 2.85

11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$2.12 BGN 3.53

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 BGN 4.57

$2.28 BGN 3.79

20.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-25.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.31 BGN 2.18

-19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.95 BGN 1.58

25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.74 BGN 1.24

-10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 BGN 6.43

$3.58 BGN 5.96

8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

$7.12 BGN 11.84

3.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.02 BGN 1.70

7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$1.59 BGN 2.65

15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$0.94 BGN 1.56

4.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$26.34 BGN 43.82

11.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$1.27 BGN 2.12

14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$0.31 BGN 0.51

151.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$12.84 BGN 21.36

11.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$1.53 BGN 2.55

2.61%

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

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

$32.6K BGN 54.2K

-1.54%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

$25.1K BGN 41.7K

15.78%

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

$150 BGN 249

$94.9 BGN 158

57.81%

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

$17.78 BGN 29.57

$16.33 BGN 27.17

8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 BGN 25.62

$13.65 BGN 22.71

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 BGN 73.2

$39.03 BGN 64.9

12.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 BGN 35.73

$11.87 BGN 19.74

80.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 BGN 15.98

$7.02 BGN 11.68

36.89%

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

$642 BGN 1,068

$238 BGN 396

169.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

-12.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 BGN 120

$54.7 BGN 90.9

31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 BGN 59.5

$42.33 BGN 70.4

-15.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 178

$83.8 BGN 139

27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$71.5 BGN 119

66.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 BGN 1,156

$278 BGN 462

149.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BGN 838

$190 BGN 316

165.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 BGN 2,091

$495 BGN 823

154.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$323 BGN 537

176.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 BGN 7,356

$1,274 BGN 2,120

247.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$1,015 BGN 1,689

228.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,785

$1,019 BGN 1,696

64.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.57

-32.39%

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

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shumen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 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 64% 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 $30.00 in Shumen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $222 – 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: $1,365 in Sofia, $891 in Shumen – roughly 53% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,047 per month in Sofia and $1,336 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 $1,365 in Sofia and $891 in Shumen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% 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 $891, than in Sofia at $1,365. 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 $891 in Shumen to $1,365 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.