Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Szczecin: $1,331 a month against $1,589 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Szczecin
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Szczecin Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
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Sofia Living Index

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Szczecin

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,331

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szczecin and in Sofia

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

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Szczecin vs $1,589 in Sofia, rent included.

Szczecin $1,331
Sofia $1,589

A couple spends around $1,974 per month in Szczecin vs $2,456 in Sofia, rent included.

Szczecin $1,974
Sofia $2,456

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Szczecin vs $3,324 in Sofia, rent included.

Szczecin $2,618
Sofia $3,324

Szczecin is about 16% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Szczecin sits 1% below the global median, while Sofia is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 zł 34.04

$17.10 BGN 29.93

-49.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.79 zł 179

$66.9 BGN 117

-31.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 zł 32.50

$11.77 BGN 20.59

-29.31%

Cappuccino

$2.93 zł 11.44

$3.42 BGN 5.99

-14.33%

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

$1.80 zł 7.05

$2.42 BGN 4.23

-25.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 zł 5.52

$1.86 BGN 3.26

-24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 zł 11.64

$3.33 BGN 5.83

-10.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 zł 12.09

$4.53 BGN 7.92

-31.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 zł 3.61

$1.92 BGN 3.36

-52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 zł 4.90

$1.51 BGN 2.64

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.16

$2.21 BGN 3.88

-52.04%

Eggs

$3.24 zł 12.68

$4.40 BGN 7.69

-26.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 zł 36.70

$11.56 BGN 20.22

-18.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 zł 24.43

$8.79 BGN 15.38

-28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 zł 50.8

$16.97 BGN 29.71

-23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 zł 3.77

$2.17 BGN 3.79

-55.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 zł 6.39

$2.04 BGN 3.57

-19.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 zł 6.19

$1.84 BGN 3.22

-14.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 zł 9.14

$4.29 BGN 7.51

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 zł 3.32

$1.03 BGN 1.80

-17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 zł 4.20

$0.93 BGN 1.62

15.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 zł 4.36

$1.20 BGN 2.11

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.33

$0.92 BGN 1.62

-35.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 zł 20.64

$4.30 BGN 7.53

22.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 zł 25.38

$7.33 BGN 12.83

-11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 zł 4.17

$1.18 BGN 2.06

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 zł 5.70

$1.87 BGN 3.28

-21.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 zł 2.90

$0.87 BGN 1.52

-14.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 zł 98.2

$28.14 BGN 49.24

-10.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 zł 7.69

$1.74 BGN 3.04

13.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 zł 3.67

$0.96 BGN 1.68

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.96 zł 50.7

$15.54 BGN 27.19

-16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.44

$1.79 BGN 3.14

-7.82%

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

$30.2K zł 118.0K

$30.0K BGN 52.5K

0.72%

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

$28.4K zł 111.2K

$26.4K BGN 46.1K

7.89%

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

$243 zł 949

$156 BGN 273

55.61%

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

$12.39 zł 48.42

$21.21 BGN 37.11

-41.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.74 zł 73.3

$15.64 BGN 27.37

19.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.15 zł 118

$46.76 BGN 81.8

-35.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.87 zł 195

$27.74 BGN 48.54

79.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 zł 25.09

$10.02 BGN 17.53

-35.93%

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

$329 zł 1,287

$766 BGN 1,341

-57.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,675 zł 30.0K

$12.8K BGN 22.4K

-39.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 zł 273

$89.7 BGN 157

-22.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 zł 140

$40.88 BGN 71.5

-12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 zł 314

$106 BGN 186

-24.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 zł 350

$105 BGN 183

-14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 zł 2,407

$796 BGN 1,393

-22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 zł 1,894

$607 BGN 1,063

-20.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 zł 4,506

$1,563 BGN 2,735

-26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 zł 3,184

$1,060 BGN 1,855

-23.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 zł 13.1K

$4,357 BGN 7,626

-23.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 zł 9,142

$3,250 BGN 5,688

-28.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 zł 6,339

$1,740 BGN 3,044

-6.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

2.89

135.99%

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

Last update for Szczecin: October 3, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Szczecin

$485 36.4%

Sofia

$607 37.9% 25.3% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Szczecin

$274 20.6%

Sofia

$193 12% 29.6% $81

Groceries & Markets

Szczecin

$208 15.6%

Sofia

$287 17.9% 38.4% $80

Eating Out

Szczecin

$164 12.3%

Sofia

$256 16% 56.4% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Szczecin

$124 9.3%

Sofia

$154 9.6% 24% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Szczecin

$43 3.2%

Sofia

$67 4.2% 55.4% $24

Getting Around

Szczecin

$35 2.6%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 9.8% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Szczecin versus $796 in Sofia. 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 7% 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 $46.00 in Szczecin versus $67.0 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $287 – making Szczecin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Szczecin

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

13:03 1:03 PM

1 h ahead of Szczecin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

387,700

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.256 USD

1 PLN = 0.228 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

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 = 0.51 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Szczecin Sofia 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Szczecin
Sofia

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

Szczecin vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,331 in Szczecin, $1,589 in Sofia – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Szczecin and $2,384 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Szczecin, 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 $1,331 in Szczecin and $1,589 in Sofia. That's a gap of about 19%.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Szczecin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szczecin, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Sofia at $1,589. In Szczecin 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 Szczecin to $1,589 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 Szczecin. 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.