Home › Cities › Compare

Athens vs Sofia: cost of living compared

Rent, prices, incomes and rent burden in Athens (Greece) and Sofia (Bulgaria), side by side. Every figure comes from official statistics and shows its source and year. No overall winner is declared: which city suits you depends on your income, job and lifestyle.

Athens

Measure

Sofia

€1,150/monthGood-quality 1-bedroom flat · Eurostat — Average rent per month in cities by type of dwelling · 2025

Monthly rent

€650/monthGood-quality 1-bedroom flat · Eurostat — Average rent per month in cities by type of dwelling · 2025

87.0Eurostat — EU duty-station cost-of-living index · 2025

Price level (Brussels = 100)

66.1Eurostat — EU duty-station cost-of-living index · 2025

€15,200/yearEurostat — Regional household disposable income · 2023

Disposable income per person

€11,300/yearEurostat — Regional household disposable income · 2023

90.8%Placeivo derived affordability calculation · 2023

Rent burden

69.0%Placeivo derived affordability calculation · 2023

At a glance

Lower rentSofia
Lower overall pricesSofia
Lower rent burdenSofia

What residents say: Athens vs Sofia

Share of residents who agree or are satisfied, asked the same questions in both cities in 2023. These are people's own views, not official measurements.

Athens

Residents say (2023)

Sofia

65%

Satisfied to live in this cityAverage of 27 capitals: 86%

81%

40%

Feel safe walking alone at night in the cityAverage of 27 capitals: 68%

48%

47%

Easy to find good housing at a reasonable priceAverage of 27 capitals: 24%

42%

20%

Easy to find a good jobAverage of 27 capitals: 47%

62%

69%

Satisfied with public transportAverage of 27 capitals: 71%

68%

39%

Satisfied with health care, doctors and hospitalsAverage of 27 capitals: 64%

48%

Source: European Commission and Eurostat, survey on quality of life in European cities, 2023 (Eurostat dataset urb_percep). Positive answers added (for example "strongly agree" + "somewhat agree", or "very satisfied" + "rather satisfied"). Survey areas: Athina (greater city); Sofia. See all 27 capitals ranked

Rent in Athens and Sofia

Rent in Athens is about 77% higher than in Sofia.

A good-quality 1-bedroom flat costs €1,150 a month in Athens and €650 a month in Sofia (Eurostat — Average rent per month in cities by type of dwelling, 2025).

These are rents for well-located, good-quality flats surveyed to set pay for EU staff, so cheaper local options exist in both cities. Use them to compare the two cities, not as the lowest rent you could find.

Overall prices

The overall price level in Athens is about 32% higher than in Sofia.

On the Eurostat price-level index (Brussels = 100), Athens scores 87.0 and Sofia scores 66.1 (2025). The index covers a full basket of goods and services, including housing, for a professional household.

Incomes and rent burden

Average household disposable income per person is €15,200 a year in the region around Athens (2023) and €11,300 a year around Sofia (2023). This is income after tax averaged over every resident, including children and retired people, so it is lower than a typical salary.

Income per person in Athens is about 35% higher than in Sofia.

Rent burden, one year of the rent above divided by income per person, is 90.8% in Athens and 69.0% in Sofia. The lower the number, the less of local incomes a typical rent takes.

What this comparison does not tell you

These are city-wide official averages. Rents vary a lot between neighbourhoods, and the salary you can earn depends on your job, experience and contract. Taxes, social contributions, visa rules and healthcare costs also differ between countries and are not included here. Check the current rules with the official authority before you decide.

How each figure is collected and calculated is explained in our methodology. Spotted an error? See our corrections policy.