Sofia at a glance
- Sofia is the most expensive of Bulgaria's 5 priced cities: $1,301 a month in essentials, 71% above Ruse at $761.
- The average net salary of $1,707 covers that 1.3×.
- 104.4 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at oblast level.
- PM2.5 averages 16.1 µg/m³ a year, 3× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 5 Bulgaria cities we track, so every row says whether Sofia is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $1,301 | $989 | 1.32× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $602 | $421 | 1.43× as much |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $787 | $543 | 1.45× as much |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $152 | $134 | $18 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $342 | $266 | 1.29× as much |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $176 | $130 | 1.35× as much |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $29 | $29 | same |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $1,707 | $1,142 | 1.50× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $1,058 | $668 | 1.58× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $1,541 | $896 | 1.72× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Sofia, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.09 | $11.66 | 1.47× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $56.95 | $46.58 | $10.37 |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $11.39 | $10.48 | $0.91 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $3.54 | $2.98 | $0.56 |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $3.42 | $2.62 | 1.31× as much |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $4.56 | $3.49 | 1.31× as much |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $2.42 | $1.59 | 1.52× as much |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $1.85 | $1.58 | $0.27 |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.98 | $1.82 | $0.16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $1.61 | $1.21 | 1.33× as much |
| White rice, 1 kg | $2.31 | $2.25 | $0.06 |
| Eggs, 12 | $4.34 | $3.56 | $0.78 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $11.85 | $11.60 | $0.25 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $9.01 | $8.53 | $0.48 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $2.07 | $1.96 | $0.11 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $2.02 | $2.02 | same |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $4.33 | $2.70 | 1.60× as much |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.12 | $1.12 | same |
| Onions, 1 kg | $0.90 | $1.09 | $0.19 |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.81 | $0.79 | $0.02 |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.91 | $0.87 | $0.04 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $29.05 | $29.11 | $0.06 |
| Taxi start | $1.81 | $1.51 | $0.30 |
| Taxi, 1 km | $0.98 | $0.76 | 1.29× as much |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.71 | $1.62 | $0.09 |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $161.17 | $114.52 | 1.41× as much |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $15.10 | $15.10 | same |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $21.06 | $18.63 | $2.43 |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $46.17 | $41.37 | $4.80 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $11.11 | $9.11 | $2.00 |
Dating-age sex ratio
Sofia has 104.4 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (oblast level). That is the 3rd-highest of 6 Bulgaria cities we track. Bulgaria's national figure is 105.4, so Sofia runs 1 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Sofia ranks against every city we track
Sofia sits ahead of 59% of the 545 cities we track on local salary. On salary against local costs it is ahead of 54% of 534. Its weakest measure is clean air, ahead of only 26% of 898.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Sofia sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: xiquinhosilva from Cacau, CC BY 2.0.
