Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Izmir and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Izmir versus $1,486 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,912 in Izmir versus $2,323 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,605 in Izmir versus $3,161 in Varna.

Living in Izmir costs roughly 18% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Izmir is 12% below, Varna is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ₺493

$14.23 BGN 23.67

-28.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.97 ₺1,795

$59.9 BGN 99.6

-38.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 ₺405

$10.72 BGN 17.83

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$3.68 ₺179

$2.97 BGN 4.94

23.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₺73.4

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-22.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₺25.94

$1.67 BGN 2.79

-68.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 ₺152

$2.89 BGN 4.80

8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 ₺249

$3.70 BGN 6.16

38.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₺53.3

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-45.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ₺47.06

$1.28 BGN 2.14

-24.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ₺110

$2.70 BGN 4.49

-15.93%

Eggs

$2.55 ₺124

$3.72 BGN 6.18

-31.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 ₺474

$11.67 BGN 19.42

-16.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₺253

$9.35 BGN 15.56

-44.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.57 ₺1,096

$14.86 BGN 24.72

51.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₺97.7

$2.07 BGN 3.45

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ₺105

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₺59.2

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-44.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ₺70.7

$3.19 BGN 5.31

-54.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₺25.67

$1.30 BGN 2.16

-59.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₺17.45

$1.08 BGN 1.80

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ₺56.2

$1.05 BGN 1.75

10.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₺38.71

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ₺112

$4.24 BGN 7.06

-45.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.77 ₺572

$8.94 BGN 14.87

31.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₺104

$1.28 BGN 2.12

67.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₺152

$1.95 BGN 3.24

60.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 ₺33.26

$1.04 BGN 1.72

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ₺2,047

$29.45 BGN 48.99

43.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ₺173

$1.58 BGN 2.62

125.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ₺50.3

$0.93 BGN 1.54

10.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ₺249

$12.45 BGN 20.71

-58.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₺65.3

$1.75 BGN 2.90

-22.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.5K ₺2.0M

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

31.37%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$46.2K ₺2.2M

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

75.93%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$85.3 ₺4,142

$179 BGN 297

-52.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.58 ₺514

$21.82 BGN 36.30

-51.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.00 ₺777

$17.25 BGN 28.70

-7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 ₺3,166

$53.8 BGN 89.5

21.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.50 ₺1,772

$20.59 BGN 34.25

77.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 ₺390

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-11.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$741 ₺36.0K

$536 BGN 892

38.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ₺755.4K

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

136.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.11 ₺2,336

$67.2 BGN 112

-28.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.69 ₺1,927

$34.37 BGN 57.2

15.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ₺4,425

$104 BGN 173

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ₺4,121

$106 BGN 176

-19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₺29.3K

$636 BGN 1,059

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 ₺20.8K

$489 BGN 813

-12.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 ₺55.9K

$1,359 BGN 2,261

-15.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$803 ₺39.0K

$927 BGN 1,542

-13.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,488 ₺72.2K

$3,327 BGN 5,534

-55.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,025 ₺49.8K

$2,199 BGN 3,659

-53.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 ₺55.7K

$1,297 BGN 2,158

-11.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.33

2.9

1359.66%

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

Last update for Izmir: September 6, 2026

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $604 in Izmir and $636 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Izmir vs $60.0 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $283 per month, with Izmir cheaper across the board.

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

Izmir vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Varna. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Varna. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $604 in Izmir versus $636 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Izmir versus $1,486 in Varna – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 43% less than in Varna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Izmir versus $1,486 in Varna, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Izmir but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Izmir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Izmir delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,218 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Izmir hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Izmir and Varna are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Izmir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.