Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Yanbu

For one person, living is cheaper in Yanbu: $1,021 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Yanbu
Learn more

Yanbu Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,585

/mo nomad

Yanbu

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,021

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Yanbu

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

A single person spends $1,585 per month in Sofia vs $1,021 in Yanbu, rent included.

Sofia $1,585
Yanbu $1,021

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Sofia vs $1,621 in Yanbu, rent included.

Sofia $2,486
Yanbu $1,621

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Sofia vs $2,222 in Yanbu, rent included.

Sofia $3,387
Yanbu $2,222

Sofia costs about 55% more than Yanbu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 17% above the global median, while Yanbu is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.57 BGN 28.84

$6.23 SAR 23.40

165.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 BGN 118

$37.74 SAR 142

79.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 BGN 20.33

$6.62 SAR 24.86

76.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cappuccino

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$3.79 SAR 14.21

-10.03%

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

$2.36 BGN 4.11

$0.80 SAR 3.02

195.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.91

$0.18 SAR 0.69

827.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 BGN 6.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BGN 7.88

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 BGN 3.38

$1.74 SAR 6.54

11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 BGN 2.70

$0.89 SAR 3.33

74.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 BGN 4.09

$2.20 SAR 8.25

6.82%

Eggs

$4.60 BGN 8.00

$2.51 SAR 9.42

83.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 BGN 19.96

$6.48 SAR 24.33

77.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 15.04

$8.25 SAR 30.97

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 BGN 30.17

$13.18 SAR 49.47

31.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.73

$2.03 SAR 7.60

5.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.45

$1.71 SAR 6.42

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.18

$1.45 SAR 5.45

26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 BGN 7.43

$1.62 SAR 6.06

163.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.82

$1.18 SAR 4.44

-11.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.06

$1.09 SAR 4.08

9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.51 SAR 1.91

62.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 BGN 7.66

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-34.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 BGN 12.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 BGN 3.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.60

$1.04 SAR 3.90

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.11 BGN 48.91

$36.69 SAR 138

-23.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BGN 2.90

$3.12 SAR 11.69

-46.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BGN 1.49

$0.84 SAR 3.15

1.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 BGN 28.87

$14.12 SAR 53.0

17.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 3.03

$0.59 SAR 2.21

194.92%

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

$29.9K BGN 52.1K

$38.4K SAR 144.0K

-21.98%

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

$25.0K BGN 43.5K

$22.2K SAR 83.2K

12.82%

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

$158 BGN 275

$91.1 SAR 342

73.23%

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

$21.27 BGN 37.01

$22.20 SAR 83.3

-4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.12 BGN 26.30

$67.6 SAR 254

-77.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 BGN 81.5

$96.6 SAR 363

-51.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.82 BGN 48.41

$26.75 SAR 100

4.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 BGN 17.39

$11.83 SAR 44.39

-15.47%

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

$815 BGN 1,419

$270 SAR 1,012

202.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.5K

$3,742 SAR 14.0K

291.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.1 BGN 152

$72.8 SAR 273

19.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.28 BGN 66.6

$56.7 SAR 213

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BGN 184

$99.3 SAR 373

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 187

$93.8 SAR 352

14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 BGN 1,338

$312 SAR 1,171

146.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 1,032

$211 SAR 794

180.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 BGN 2,662

$609 SAR 2,285

151.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 BGN 1,846

$419 SAR 1,572

153.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,526 BGN 7,875

$1,997 SAR 7,496

126.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,109 BGN 5,410

$1,313 SAR 4,927

136.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,780 BGN 3,098

$3,403 SAR 12.8K

-47.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

5.39

-46.38%

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

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$593 37.4%

Yanbu

$211 20.7% 64.3% $382

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$288 18.2%

Yanbu

$196 19.2% 32% $92

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 16%

Yanbu

$119 11.7% 53% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.3%

Yanbu

$181 17.7% 6.8% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$152 9.6%

Yanbu

$145 14.2% 4.6% $7

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$67 4.2%

Yanbu

$120 11.8% 79.9% $53

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Yanbu

$48 4.7% 27.7% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Sofia versus $312 in Yanbu. 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 91% higher in Yanbu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Sofia versus $38 in Yanbu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $196 – making Yanbu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇸🇦 Yanbu

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

12:29 12:29 PM

1 h ahead of Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

233,236

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.95 BGN (1 BGN = 0.512 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Yanbu 2,470 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Yanbu

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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,585 in Sofia, $1,021 in Yanbu – Yanbu comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,378 per month in Sofia and $1,531 in Yanbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yanbu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $312 there versus $769 in Sofia.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,585 in Sofia and $1,021 in Yanbu. That makes Yanbu about 36% cheaper.

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

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,585 in Sofia and $1,021 in Yanbu. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Yanbu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.