Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Trabzon and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Trabzon: $672 a month against $1,585 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Trabzon, Turkey
Sofia, Bulgaria
Trabzon
🇹🇷 Turkey
$672
/mo nomad
Sofia
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,585
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Trabzon 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 Trabzon and in Sofia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $672 per month in Trabzon vs $1,585 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Trabzon $672
  • Sofia $1,585

A couple spends around $1,246 per month in Trabzon vs $2,486 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Trabzon $1,246
  • Sofia $2,486

A family of three spends $1,819 per month in Trabzon vs $3,387 in Sofia, rent included.

  • Trabzon $1,819
  • Sofia $3,387

Trabzon is about 58% cheaper than Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Trabzon sits 50% below the global median, while Sofia is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.82 ₺392
$16.57 BGN 28.84
-52.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.05 ₺1,504
$67.7 BGN 118
-55.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.32 ₺517
$11.68 BGN 20.33
-11.64%
Cappuccino
$3.97 ₺199
$3.41 BGN 5.93
16.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₺79.7
$2.36 BGN 4.11
-32.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ₺11.48
$1.67 BGN 2.91
-86.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.82 ₺91.0
$3.99 BGN 6.94
-54.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 ₺98.6
$4.53 BGN 7.88
-56.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.96 ₺47.85
$1.94 BGN 3.38
-50.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 ₺60.8
$1.55 BGN 2.70
-21.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.42 ₺121
$2.35 BGN 4.09
2.98%
Eggs
$2.43 ₺122
$4.60 BGN 8.00
-47.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.29 ₺415
$11.47 BGN 19.96
-27.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.72 ₺136
$8.65 BGN 15.04
-68.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.02 ₺852
$17.34 BGN 30.17
-1.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.05 ₺103
$2.15 BGN 3.73
-4.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 ₺78.7
$1.98 BGN 3.45
-20.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.83 ₺41.33
$1.83 BGN 3.18
-54.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.03 ₺51.4
$4.27 BGN 7.43
-75.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.45 ₺22.57
$1.04 BGN 1.82
-56.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.36 ₺18.19
$0.89 BGN 1.54
-59.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.79 ₺39.36
$1.19 BGN 2.06
-33.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₺31.27
$0.83 BGN 1.45
-25.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.16 ₺108
$4.40 BGN 7.66
-50.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.11 ₺456
$7.42 BGN 12.91
22.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₺79.4
$1.16 BGN 2.01
37.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 ₺114
$1.90 BGN 3.30
20.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.92 BGN 1.60
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$28.11 BGN 48.91
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.97 ₺98.4
$1.67 BGN 2.90
17.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.62 ₺31.26
$0.85 BGN 1.49
-27.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.25 ₺313
$16.59 BGN 28.87
-62.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 ₺66.0
$1.74 BGN 3.03
-24.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.8K ₺2.0M
$29.9K BGN 52.1K
33.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K ₺2.1M
$25.0K BGN 43.5K
64.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.3 ₺4,369
$158 BGN 275
-44.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.39 ₺620
$21.27 BGN 37.01
-41.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.10 ₺606
$15.12 BGN 26.30
-19.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.3 ₺2,517
$46.85 BGN 81.5
7.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.82 BGN 48.41
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.91 ₺246
$10.00 BGN 17.39
-50.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$255 ₺12.7K
$815 BGN 1,419
-68.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.6K BGN 25.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.3 ₺4,068
$87.1 BGN 152
-6.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.0 ₺3,052
$38.28 BGN 66.6
59.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 ₺4,495
$106 BGN 184
-14.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.7 ₺2,986
$107 BGN 187
-44.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$769 BGN 1,338
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$593 BGN 1,032
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$444 ₺22.2K
$1,530 BGN 2,662
-70.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$334 ₺16.7K
$1,061 BGN 1,846
-68.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,526 BGN 7,875
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,109 BGN 5,410
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Trabzon
Sofia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,197 ₺59.9K
$1,780 BGN 3,098
-32.79%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
49
2.89
1595.50%

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

Last update for Trabzon: October 31, 2026

Last update for Sofia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Trabzon
$202
Sofia
$288 42.3% $85
Eating Out
Trabzon
$162
Sofia
$254 57% $92
Clothing & Footwear
Trabzon
$131
Sofia
$152 15.9% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Trabzon
$112
Sofia
$194 73.8% $82
Sport & Entertainment
Trabzon
$60
Sofia
$67 11.2% $6.7
Getting Around
Trabzon
$5.1 *
Sofia
$38 641% $33
Accommodation & Living
Trabzon
- *
Sofia
$593

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% 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 $30 in Trabzon versus $68 in Sofia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $288 – making Trabzon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Trabzon
🇧🇬 Sofia
🕒 Local time
21:10 9:10 PM
20:10 8:10 PM
1 h behind Trabzon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
816,684
1,286,383 Capital
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 50.04 TRY (100 TRY = 2 USD). 1 EUR = 56.23 TRY (100 TRY = 1.78 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Trabzon Sofia 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Trabzon
  • 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
Trabzon vs Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Trabzon and in Sofia compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $672 in Trabzon, $1,585 in Sofia – Trabzon comes out roughly 58% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Trabzon compared to Sofia?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,008 per month in Trabzon and $2,378 in Sofia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Trabzon and $68 in Sofia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Sofia, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Trabzon, where all-in costs run around $672, than in Sofia at $1,585. In Trabzon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Trabzon and Sofia?
It depends on your priorities. Sofia has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $672 in Trabzon to $1,585 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Trabzon or Sofia safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Trabzon and Sofia?
If budget matters most, go with Trabzon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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