Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Taby

For one person, living is cheaper in Sofia: $1,600 a month against $2,122 in Taby, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,600
/mo nomad
Taby
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,122
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Taby

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 Taby actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,600 per month in Sofia vs $2,122 in Taby, rent included.

  • Sofia $1,600
  • Taby $2,122

A couple spends around $2,490 per month in Sofia vs $3,043 in Taby, rent included.

  • Sofia $2,490
  • Taby $3,043

A family of three spends $3,380 per month in Sofia vs $3,964 in Taby, rent included.

  • Sofia $3,380
  • Taby $3,964

Sofia is about 25% cheaper than Taby, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sofia and Taby sit above the global median – Sofia by 18%, Taby by 57%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 BGN 29.51
$13.66 SEK 135
24.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.3 BGN 119
$65.8 SEK 652
3.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.62 BGN 20.21
$10.09 SEK 100.0
15.16%
Cappuccino
$3.43 BGN 5.98
$4.28 SEK 42.41
-19.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 BGN 4.08
$3.58 SEK 35.48
-34.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 BGN 3.19
$2.34 SEK 23.19
-21.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.41 BGN 5.93
$6.95 SEK 68.9
-50.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 BGN 7.73
$8.79 SEK 87.1
-49.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 BGN 3.42
$1.70 SEK 16.83
15.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 BGN 2.59
$3.02 SEK 29.90
-50.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.33 BGN 4.05
$3.91 SEK 38.75
-40.41%
Eggs
$4.41 BGN 7.68
$5.20 SEK 51.5
-15.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.54 BGN 20.08
$12.81 SEK 127
-9.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 BGN 15.44
$12.82 SEK 127
-30.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.51 BGN 30.46
$17.59 SEK 174
-0.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 BGN 3.74
$3.13 SEK 31.05
-31.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 BGN 3.60
$2.62 SEK 25.97
-20.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.93 BGN 3.37
$1.97 SEK 19.52
-2.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 BGN 7.39
$4.50 SEK 44.60
-5.56%
Potato (1kg)
$1.03 BGN 1.79
$1.70 SEK 16.88
-39.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.88 BGN 1.54
$1.80 SEK 17.80
-51.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 BGN 2.07
$2.33 SEK 23.13
-48.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 BGN 1.55
$1.90 SEK 18.87
-53.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 BGN 7.35
$7.00 SEK 69.4
-39.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.87 BGN 13.69
$12.21 SEK 121
-35.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 BGN 2.06
$1.90 SEK 18.84
-37.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 BGN 3.29
$2.21 SEK 21.90
-14.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Sofia
Taby
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 BGN 1.62
$4.17 SEK 41.32
-77.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.30 BGN 49.24
$101 SEK 1,002
-72.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 BGN 2.93
$5.87 SEK 58.1
-71.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.96 BGN 1.68
$1.55 SEK 15.38
-38.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.36 BGN 26.73
$57.4 SEK 569
-73.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 BGN 3.09
$1.84 SEK 18.22
-3.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$33.3K SEK 330.3K
-8.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K BGN 43.6K
$32.7K SEK 324.2K
-23.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$157 BGN 273
$177 SEK 1,758
-11.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.12 BGN 36.74
$27.61 SEK 274
-23.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.32 BGN 26.65
$40.66 SEK 403
-62.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.39 BGN 80.7
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.09 BGN 48.87
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.04 BGN 17.46
$17.11 SEK 170
-41.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$775 BGN 1,348
$156 SEK 1,543
397.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K BGN 21.8K
$16.3K SEK 161.4K
-23.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 BGN 153
$98.0 SEK 971
-10.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 BGN 72.0
$53.0 SEK 526
-21.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 BGN 186
$94.4 SEK 935
13.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 BGN 185
$183 SEK 1,813
-41.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sofia
Taby
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$770 BGN 1,340
$1,023 SEK 10.1K
-24.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$602 BGN 1,048
$870 SEK 8,625
-30.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,564 BGN 2,721
$1,411 SEK 14.0K
10.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 BGN 1,803
$1,189 SEK 11.8K
-12.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,567 BGN 7,946
$5,994 SEK 59.4K
-23.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,162 BGN 5,502
$6,951 SEK 68.9K
-54.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sofia
Taby
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,742 BGN 3,031
$3,306 SEK 32.8K
-47.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.89
2.8
3.21%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Taby: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sofia
$602
Taby
$870 44.5% $268
Groceries & Markets
Sofia
$291
Taby
$380 30.6% $89
Eating Out
Sofia
$254
Taby
$267 4.9% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sofia
$194
Taby
$246 27% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Sofia
$154
Taby
$193 25.1% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Sofia
$66
Taby
$34 * 48.5% $32
Getting Around
Sofia
$39
Taby
$131 241% $93

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $770 in Sofia versus $1,023 in Taby. 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 90% higher in Taby, 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 $68.0 in Sofia versus $66.0 in Taby. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Sofia vs $380 in Taby – so Sofia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Sofia
🇸🇪 Taby
🕒 Local time
00:43 12:43 AM
23:43 11:43 PM
1 h behind Sofia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,286,383 Capital
58,123
💱 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sofia Taby 1,900 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sofia
  • Taby

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 Taby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sofia and in Taby compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,600 in Sofia, $2,122 in Taby – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Sofia compared to Taby?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,400 per month in Sofia and $3,182 in Taby. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sofia and Taby?
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 Taby?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,600 in Sofia and $2,122 in Taby. That's a gap of about 33%.
How do commuting costs compare in Sofia and in Taby?
Public transport costs about 257% less in Sofia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sofia, where all-in costs run around $1,600, than in Taby at $2,122. In Sofia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taby it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Sofia and Taby?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,600 in Sofia to $2,122 in Taby. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Sofia or Taby 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 Taby?
If budget matters most, go with Sofia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taby 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?