Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Sundsvall

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,589 a month against $1,722 in Sundsvall, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. The total is higher in Sundsvall despite lower rent and utilities.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,589
/mo nomad
Sundsvall
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,722
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Sundsvall

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sofia and in Sundsvall actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Sofia vs $1,722 in Sundsvall, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,589
  • Sundsvall $1,722

A couple spends around $2,456 per month in Sofia vs $2,622 in Sundsvall, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,456
  • Sundsvall $2,622

A family of three spends $3,324 per month in Sofia vs $3,523 in Sundsvall, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,324
  • Sundsvall $3,523

Sofia is about 8% cheaper than Sundsvall, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sofia and Sundsvall sit above the global median – Sofia by 19%, Sundsvall by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.10 BGN 29.93
$14.99 SEK 150
14.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.9 BGN 117
$81.2 SEK 812
-17.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 BGN 20.59
$10.97 SEK 110
7.29%
Cappuccino
$3.42 BGN 5.99
$4.56 SEK 45.58
-25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 BGN 4.23
$2.40 SEK 23.97
0.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 BGN 3.26
$1.84 SEK 18.35
1.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.33 BGN 5.83
$8.55 SEK 85.5
-61.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.53 BGN 7.92
$7.62 SEK 76.1
-40.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 BGN 3.36
$1.49 SEK 14.91
28.86%
White Bread (500g)
$1.51 BGN 2.64
$2.95 SEK 29.48
-48.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 BGN 3.88
$3.47 SEK 34.66
-36.31%
Eggs
$4.40 BGN 7.69
$3.40 SEK 34.02
29.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.56 BGN 20.22
$9.29 SEK 92.8
24.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.79 BGN 15.38
$9.63 SEK 96.3
-8.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.97 BGN 29.71
$17.36 SEK 174
-2.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 BGN 3.79
$2.61 SEK 26.10
-16.86%
Banana (1kg)
$2.04 BGN 3.57
$2.31 SEK 23.05
-11.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 BGN 3.22
$2.43 SEK 24.31
-24.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.29 BGN 7.51
$4.00 SEK 40.01
7.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.80
$1.40 SEK 14.02
-26.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$1.35 SEK 13.47
-31.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 BGN 2.11
$1.78 SEK 17.75
-32.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 BGN 1.62
$0.94 SEK 9.43
-2.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 BGN 7.53
$7.34 SEK 73.3
-41.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 BGN 12.83
$9.00 SEK 90.0
-18.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$1.71 SEK 17.04
-30.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 BGN 3.28
$1.38 SEK 13.77
35.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 BGN 1.52
$3.24 SEK 32.35
-73.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.14 BGN 49.24
$84.1 SEK 840
-66.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.74 BGN 3.04
$6.08 SEK 60.8
-71.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$5.81 SEK 58.1
-83.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.54 BGN 27.19
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 BGN 3.14
$1.66 SEK 16.55
7.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K BGN 52.5K
$31.1K SEK 311.1K
-3.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K BGN 46.1K
$30.1K SEK 300.9K
-12.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$156 BGN 273
$99.6 SEK 996
56.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.21 BGN 37.11
$28.61 SEK 286
-25.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.64 BGN 27.37
$36.42 SEK 364
-57.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.76 BGN 81.8
$40.61 SEK 406
15.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.74 BGN 48.54
$15.70 SEK 157
76.69%
Cinema Ticket
$10.02 BGN 17.53
$13.86 SEK 139
-27.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$766 BGN 1,341
$134 SEK 1,340
471.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K BGN 22.4K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7 BGN 157
$92.2 SEK 921
-2.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.88 BGN 71.5
$19.76 SEK 197
106.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 BGN 186
$67.3 SEK 672
57.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 BGN 183
$123 SEK 1,228
-14.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$796 BGN 1,393
$659 SEK 6,583
20.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 BGN 1,063
$591 SEK 5,908
2.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,563 BGN 2,735
$1,184 SEK 11.8K
32.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,060 BGN 1,855
$877 SEK 8,767
20.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,357 BGN 7,626
$2,411 SEK 24.1K
80.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,250 BGN 5,688
$1,689 SEK 16.9K
92.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Sundsvall
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,740 BGN 3,044
$2,993 SEK 29.9K
-41.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
3.88
-25.52%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Last update for Sundsvall: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$607
Sundsvall
$591 2.7% $16
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$287
Sundsvall
$311 8.3% $24
Eating Out
Sofia
$256
Sundsvall
$282 10.3% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$193
Sundsvall
$165 14.6% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Sundsvall
$136 11.5% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$67
Sundsvall
$68 2.3% $1.5
Getting Around
Sofia
$38
Sundsvall
$132 246% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $796 in Sofia versus $659 in Sundsvall. 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 72% higher in Sundsvall, 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 $67.0 in Sofia versus $81.0 in Sundsvall. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $311 – making Sofia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇸🇪 Sundsvall
🕒 Local time
10:00 10:00 AM
09:00 9:00 AM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
57,606
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.99 SEK (1 SEK = 0.1 USD). 1 EUR = 11.21 SEK (100 SEK = 8.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Sundsvall 2,220 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Sundsvall

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sundsvall: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sofia and in Sundsvall compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Sofia, $1,722 in Sundsvall – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Sofia compared to Sundsvall?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Sofia and $2,582 in Sundsvall. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sofia and Sundsvall?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Sofia or Sundsvall?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Sofia and $1,722 in Sundsvall. That's a gap of about 8%.
How do commuting costs compare in Sofia and in Sundsvall?
Public transport costs about 199% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Sundsvall at $1,722. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sundsvall it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Sundsvall?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,589 in Sofia to $1,722 in Sundsvall. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sofia or Sundsvall safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Sofia and Sundsvall?
If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sundsvall makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Sofia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?