Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Veliko Tarnovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo: $1,006 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Veliko Tarnovo
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Veliko Tarnovo Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Veliko Tarnovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Veliko Tarnovo

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Veliko Tarnovo $1,006

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,574 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Veliko Tarnovo $1,574

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,141 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Veliko Tarnovo $2,141

Sofia costs about 58% more than Veliko Tarnovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Veliko Tarnovo is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$11.12 BGN 19.35

51.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$39.76 BGN 69.2

65.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$9.61 BGN 16.73

17.79%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$1.85 BGN 3.21

85.41%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.31 BGN 2.29

83.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$0.88 BGN 1.53

110.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.03 BGN 3.53

82.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$2.79 BGN 4.85

64.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$1.86 BGN 3.23

8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.05 BGN 1.83

48.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$2.48 BGN 4.31

-6.05%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$3.67 BGN 6.39

18.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$10.17 BGN 17.70

15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$8.00 BGN 13.92

10.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$12.43 BGN 21.63

40.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.60 BGN 2.78

34.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$2.05 BGN 3.57

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.96 BGN 3.41

-1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$2.58 BGN 4.48

64.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$1.09 BGN 1.90

-4.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$1.17 BGN 2.04

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$0.98 BGN 1.70

17.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.73 BGN 1.27

21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$4.10 BGN 7.13

2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$6.72 BGN 11.69

11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.21 BGN 2.10

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.61 BGN 2.79

14.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$0.90 BGN 1.56

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$23.23 BGN 40.42

22.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.16 BGN 2.02

44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.67 BGN 1.17

40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$11.18 BGN 19.46

37.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.56 BGN 2.71

8.33%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.5K BGN 53.1K

-2.34%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$30.6K BGN 53.3K

-14.64%

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

$156 BGN 272

$95.9 BGN 167

62.84%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$18.81 BGN 32.73

14.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$15.86 BGN 27.59

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$30.50 BGN 53.1

51.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$19.69 BGN 34.26

41.80%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$6.91 BGN 12.02

47.32%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$46.95 BGN 81.7

91.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$30.58 BGN 53.2

35.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$122 BGN 213

-13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$93.1 BGN 162

14.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$351 BGN 611

122.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$260 BGN 453

129.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$572 BGN 995

165.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$420 BGN 731

145.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,407 BGN 4,187

80.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$1,364 BGN 2,373

132.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$952 BGN 1,657

82.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

2.74

5.47%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Veliko Tarnovo

$260 25.9% 56.4% $337

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Veliko Tarnovo

$244 24.2% 16.2% $47

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Veliko Tarnovo

$164 16.3% 35.5% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Veliko Tarnovo

$131 13% 32.3% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Veliko Tarnovo

$132 13.1% 14.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Veliko Tarnovo

$44 4.4% 33.3% $22

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Veliko Tarnovo

$31 3.1% 18.3% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $351 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 82% 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 $66.0 in Sofia versus $40.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $244 – making Veliko Tarnovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇧🇬 Veliko Tarnovo

🕒 Local time

18:24 6:24 PM

Same time as Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

71,150

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Sofia Veliko Tarnovo 190 km

From you

Sofia
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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 Veliko Tarnovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,594 in Sofia, $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Sofia and $1,509 in Veliko Tarnovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sofia, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Veliko Tarnovo 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 $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo to $1,594 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 Veliko Tarnovo. 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.