Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Zawiercie

For one person, living is cheaper in Zawiercie: $1,331 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. The total is higher in Sofia despite lower rent and utilities.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Zawiercie
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Zawiercie Living Index

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Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Zawiercie

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Zawiercie

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

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Sofia vs $1,331 in Zawiercie, rent included.

Sofia $1,594
Zawiercie $1,331

A couple spends around $2,478 per month in Sofia vs $1,889 in Zawiercie, rent included.

Sofia $2,478
Zawiercie $1,889

A family of three spends $3,361 per month in Sofia vs $2,448 in Zawiercie, rent included.

Sofia $3,361
Zawiercie $2,448

Sofia costs about 20% more than Zawiercie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sofia sits 18% above the global median, while Zawiercie is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.87 BGN 29.35

$6.43 zł 24.99

162.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.8 BGN 115

$34.17 zł 133

92.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 BGN 19.69

$7.99 zł 31.06

41.68%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$2.06 zł 8.01

66.50%

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

$2.41 BGN 4.19

$1.29 zł 5.03

86.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.22

$0.62 zł 2.40

198.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 BGN 6.44

$2.77 zł 10.75

33.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 BGN 7.97

$3.41 zł 13.24

34.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 BGN 3.51

$0.92 zł 3.59

119.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 BGN 2.72

$1.01 zł 3.91

54.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.45 zł 5.63

60.69%

Eggs

$4.36 BGN 7.59

$2.69 zł 10.43

62.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 BGN 20.47

$7.89 zł 30.64

49.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 BGN 15.37

$5.34 zł 20.74

65.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.46 BGN 30.38

$11.81 zł 45.90

47.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$0.92 zł 3.59

133.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.44

$1.43 zł 5.55

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.42 zł 5.51

35.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 BGN 7.37

$2.57 zł 9.99

64.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$0.74 zł 2.87

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.48

$0.77 zł 3.01

10.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 BGN 2.00

$1.23 zł 4.79

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.56

$0.49 zł 1.91

81.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 BGN 7.33

$4.85 zł 18.85

-13.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 BGN 12.98

$6.52 zł 25.34

14.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BGN 2.01

$1.01 zł 3.91

13.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 BGN 3.23

$1.69 zł 6.55

9.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.51

$1.09 zł 4.25

-20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.53 BGN 49.65

$30.67 zł 119

-6.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.73 zł 6.72

-2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 BGN 1.63

$0.73 zł 2.82

28.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 BGN 26.70

$10.88 zł 42.28

41.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$1.72 zł 6.67

-1.74%

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

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

$30.8K zł 119.8K

-3.32%

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

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

$26.3K zł 102.1K

-0.56%

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

$156 BGN 272

$268 zł 1,040

-41.67%

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

$21.56 BGN 37.52

$7.82 zł 30.39

175.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 BGN 26.51

$10.25 zł 39.83

48.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 BGN 80.2

$36.54 zł 142

26.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BGN 48.58

$24.15 zł 93.8

15.61%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 BGN 17.72

$5.24 zł 20.34

94.27%

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

$774 BGN 1,347

$556 zł 2,160

39.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

$12.1K zł 47.0K

5.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 BGN 157

$70.2 zł 273

28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.29 BGN 71.8

$31.49 zł 122

31.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 183

$89.4 zł 347

17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 186

$92.7 zł 360

15.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$783 BGN 1,362

$593 zł 2,306

31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 BGN 1,038

$512 zł 1,990

16.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,516 BGN 2,638

$984 zł 3,823

54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 BGN 1,792

$803 zł 3,118

28.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,350 BGN 7,568

$2,952 zł 11.5K

47.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,177 BGN 5,528

$2,227 zł 8,652

42.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 BGN 3,019

$876 zł 3,402

98.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

7.19

-59.81%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Last update for Zawiercie: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$597 37.4%

Zawiercie

$512 38.5% 14.2% $85

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$290 18.2%

Zawiercie

$189 14.2% 34.8% $101

Eating Out

Sofia

$255 16%

Zawiercie

$128 9.7% 49.6% $126

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$193 12.1%

Zawiercie

$286 21.5% 48.1% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.7%

Zawiercie

$128 9.6% 17.3% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Zawiercie

$47 3.5% 29.3% $19

Getting Around

Sofia

$38 2.4%

Zawiercie

$40 3% 5.3% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $783 in Sofia versus $593 in Zawiercie. 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 98% 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 $34.00 in Zawiercie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $189 – making Zawiercie the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇵🇱 Zawiercie

🕒 Local time

17:43 5:43 PM

16:43 4:43 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

48,412

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sofia Zawiercie 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sofia
Zawiercie

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 Zawiercie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,594 in Sofia, $1,331 in Zawiercie – roughly 20% 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 $1,996 in Zawiercie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zawiercie, 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 $1,594 in Sofia and $1,331 in Zawiercie. That's a gap of about 20%.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Zawiercie. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zawiercie, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Sofia at $1,594. In Zawiercie 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 $1,331 in Zawiercie 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 Zawiercie. 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.