Temperature
August has the warmest monthly average (21.2°C); January is coolest (-2.3°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.
Bulgaria · Visit or make it home
Sofia
Sofia is a city in Bulgaria. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.
Get to know Sofia
A sense of the place
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths. It has a humid continental climate. Known as Serdica in antiquity, Sofia has been an area of human habitation since at least 7000 BC. The recorded history of the city begins with the attestation of the conquest of Serdica by the Roman Republic in 29 BC from the Celtic tribe Serdi. During the decline of the Roman Empire, the city was raided by Huns, Visigoths, Avars, and Slavs. In 809, Serdica was incorporated into the First Bulgarian Empire by Khan Krum and became known as Sredets. In 1018, the Byzantines ended Bulgarian rule until 1194, when it was reincorporated by the Second Bulgarian Empire. Sredets became a major administrative, economic, cultural and literary hub until its conquest by the Ottomans in 1382.
Weather through the year
When to visit Sofia
Rain and outdoor plans
June averages about 85 mm of rain, compared with 42 mm in November. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.
Planning time outdoors
May, June, July, August, September combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.
January, February, March, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average °C | -2.3 | -0.3 | 4.0 | 8.8 | 14.1 | 18.3 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 16.3 | 10.5 | 5.1 | -0.6 |
| Rain, mm | 51 | 45 | 57 | 57 | 80 | 85 | 68 | 58 | 54 | 57 | 42 | 51 |
Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.
Places around Sofia
Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.
Botanical garden
Botanical garden of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
6.4 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityPark
City Garden
Less than 1 km from the city centre
Compare with another cityAverage rent in Sofia
What is the average rent in Sofia?
A verified average rent for Sofia is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.
Average salary in Sofia
What is the average salary in Sofia?
1,573.2 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Bulgaria, not average salary in Sofia. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.
Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)
How should I compare Sofia with another city?
Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.
- Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
- Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
- Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.
Data sources, licences & reuse terms
Plan your stay
Budget and everyday decisions
A holiday budget
Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Sofia, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.
Compare holiday preferences →A relocation budget
Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.
Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.
Compare with another city →Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
1,573.2 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Your relocation planning budget
Build a monthly budget for Sofia in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.
Monthly total:
First month including move:
Compare with another city →Compare the details
Sofia at a glance
Mean daily solar radiation
3.8 kWh/m²/day
Data period: 2001-2020. Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Annual precipitation
704 mm/year
Annual precipitation gives a broad climate comparison. Its distribution through the year matters more for a short visit.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Mean wind speed at 10 metres
2.8 m/s
Data period: 2001-2020. Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →City population
1,152,556 people
Population helps compare the scale of a destination. Administrative boundaries differ, so it is not always the population of the whole metropolitan area.
Data period: 2026-09-20. Source: GeoNames geographical database — global city identity fallback · CC BY 4.0Compare with another city →Average annual temperature
9.7 C
Long-term average including days and nights. Use the monthly breakdown to choose dates; this is not a weather forecast.
Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Nearest listed airport (straight-line distance)
7.6 km
Straight-line distance to a listed airport, not transfer time or confirmation of scheduled flights. Check the airport serving your actual route before booking.
Data period: 2026-08-30. Source: OurAirports — airport locations · Public domainCompare with another city →Seasonal temperature range
23.5 °C
Data period: 2001-2020. Source: NASA POWER — climatology (T2M temperature; PRECTOTCORR precipitation) · NASA scientific-data policy; source-specific notices applyCompare with another city →Bulgaria: the wider context
These are country-level figures, not measurements of Sofia. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.
See 10 national indicators
Average gross monthly earnings — country reference
1,573.2 USD/month
Average employee pay before tax and deductions, in US dollars. This country reference is not a city-specific salary or personal take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)Compare with another city →Income level — GNI per capita, PPP (gross)
42,170 international dollars (PPP)
Purchasing-power-adjusted national income per person is not a salary or take-home pay.
Data period: 2025. Source: World Bank — GNI per capita, PPP (NY.GNP.PCAP.PP.CD) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Fixed broadband / internet quality
82.4 percent
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank / ITU — Individuals using the Internet, % (IT.NET.USER.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Healthcare / health outcome (life expectancy at birth)
75.8 years
Life expectancy describes population health outcomes; it does not measure the quality or availability of a particular hospital.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →English / language accessibility
40 ordinal_0_100
Data period: 2026-08-30. Limited confidence. Source: Wikidata — coordinates, population, timezone, ISO codes, official languages · CC0 1.0Compare with another city →Overall tax burden (taxes + social contributions, % of GDP)
20.7 percent_gdp
Taxes and social contributions as a share of the economy, not your personal income-tax rate.
Data period: 2024. Source: World Bank — Tax revenue % of GDP (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Intentional homicide rate
1.1 per 100,000 people
Homicide rates are a narrow safety indicator. They do not describe petty crime or the safety of an individual neighbourhood.
Data period: 2023. Source: World Bank / UNODC — Intentional homicides per 100k (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Comparative price level (household consumption)
62 (EU average = 100)
Data period: 2025. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — Price level index, household consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PLI) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Air quality — annual mean PM2.5
19.7 µg/m³
Data period: 2023. Limited confidence. Source: World Bank — PM2.5 mean annual exposure (EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →Education system (national)
135.9 points (0–188)
Data period: 2025. Estimate. Source: World Bank HCI+ education pillar (2025) · CC BY 4.0 with World Bank additional termsCompare with another city →What to check before deciding
Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.
Compare Sofia with other cities
Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.