Bucharest vs Sofia - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Sofia
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1138
$1329
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2971
$3277
🏠 One person rent
$535
$682
🏘️ Family rent
$931
$1187
🍽️ Food expenses
$389
$435
🚐 Transport expenses
$84.2
$88.7
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1467
$1229
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
8 km
🎓 Higher education
78
71
😀 Quality of life
84
78
🏙️ Population
1.72M
1.21M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 14% less expensive than in Sofia. Cities ranked 4935th and 4516th ($1138 vs $1329) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 1st in Romania and Bulgaria, respectively. Check Romania vs Bulgaria comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.3 months in Bucharest compared to 0.9 months in Sofia. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Sofia ranked 1st in Bulgaria, while ranked 508th and 995th among best cities to live in the world.

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Prices in Bucharest vs Sofia

Prices for goods and services in Bucharest and Sofia are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Bucharest Sofia
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$11.9
$12.1
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$57.2
$54.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.13
$10.8
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.53
$3.18
☕ Cappuccino
$3.56
$2.91
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.41
$1.94
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$586
$702
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$385
$541
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1055
$1253
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$699
$971
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$99.4
$95
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$151
$145
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$10.4
$14.4
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.13%
2.98%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4123
$4234
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2286
$2831
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.96
$0.97
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.9
$29.9
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.84
$9.47
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.76
$1.47
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.66
$1.95
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.08
$1.46
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$2.26
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.75
$3.81
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.2
$12.4
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.76
$8.81
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$14.5
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$2.04
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$2.06
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$1.87
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.49
$2.78
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.87
$1.08
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$0.95
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.62
$0.51
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.33
$1.81
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.76
$7.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.22
$1.13
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.73
$4.25
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$7.02
$12.7
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.79
$3.44
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.77
$2.09
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.11
$3.13
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.8
$46.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.67
$10.3
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$69.3
$45
💇 Haircut, simple
$11.2
$11.2
👖 Brand Jeans
$86.8
$81.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$101
$115
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$769
$698
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16525
$11223

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bucharest

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.3 mi Voluntari
$999
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$956
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$926
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$784
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$800
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$724
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$831
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$758
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$777
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$970
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$695
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$666
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$1150
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$759
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$826
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$704
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$732
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$805
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$910
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$871
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$983
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$665
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$950
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$607
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$1099
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$1062
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1132
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$644
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$840
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$716
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$916
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$844
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$864
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$841
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$738
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$872
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$763
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$773
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$683
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$795

Cities near Sofia

Distance City Cost of living
26 km or 16 mi Pernik
$713
59 km or 37 mi Vratsa
$763
77 km or 48 mi Blagoevgrad
$717
97 km or 60 mi Bansko
$871
100 km or 62 mi Pazardzhik
$787
132 km or 82 mi Pleven
$704
132 km or 82 mi Plovdiv
$878
135 km or 84 mi Nis
$857
142 km or 88 mi Stip
$617
146 km or 91 mi Kumanovo
$680
148 km or 92 mi Vidin
$683
149 km or 92 mi Asenovgrad
$733
151 km or 94 mi Strumica
$705
164 km or 102 mi Gabrovo
$665
168 km or 104 mi Veles
$593
175 km or 108 mi Skopje
$887
176 km or 110 mi Pristina
$694
178 km or 110 mi Kavadarci
$619
180 km or 112 mi Serres
$1108
185 km or 115 mi Drama
$1002
186 km or 116 mi Craiova
$983
191 km or 119 mi Stara Zagora
$716
193 km or 120 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$759
202 km or 125 mi Mitrovica
$571
202 km or 126 mi Haskovo
$708
208 km or 129 mi Tetovo
$769
210 km or 130 mi Prilep
$609
210 km or 131 mi Slatina
$695
215 km or 134 mi Kavala
$1031
215 km or 134 mi Alexandria
$724
217 km or 135 mi Xanthi
$1069
222 km or 138 mi Drobeta-Turnu Severin
$759
224 km or 139 mi Giannitsa
$1122
232 km or 144 mi Thessaloniki
$1272
234 km or 145 mi Novi Pazar
$851
242 km or 150 mi Kragujevac
$948
245 km or 152 mi Sliven
$607
246 km or 153 mi Komotini
$1041
248 km or 154 mi Bitola
$678
248 km or 154 mi Ruse
$784