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: $1,235 in Izmir versus $1,189 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,876 in Izmir versus $1,839 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,517 in Izmir versus $2,489 in Varna.

Living in Izmir is roughly 4% more expensive than Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Izmir 8% lower, Varna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 ₺370

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-30.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.40 ₺1,722

$46.66 BGN 77.6

-19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ₺352

$8.68 BGN 14.43

-11.87%

Cappuccino

$3.35 ₺154

$2.58 BGN 4.30

29.84%

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

$1.44 ₺66.4

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₺24.40

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-58.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 ₺177

$2.88 BGN 4.79

33.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 ₺228

$3.02 BGN 5.03

64.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 ₺48.60

$1.88 BGN 3.14

-43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 ₺40.72

$1.08 BGN 1.79

-18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 ₺115

$2.44 BGN 4.06

2.46%

Eggs

$2.53 ₺117

$3.30 BGN 5.48

-23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 ₺537

$11.00 BGN 18.30

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 ₺314

$8.46 BGN 14.08

-19.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.53 ₺991

$12.26 BGN 20.40

75.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 ₺65.9

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 ₺130

$2.13 BGN 3.54

32.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ₺67.9

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 ₺85.8

$2.79 BGN 4.64

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ₺40.59

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-26.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₺30.84

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-41.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₺47.01

$1.03 BGN 1.71

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₺29.32

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 ₺107

$3.76 BGN 6.26

-38.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 ₺498

$9.12 BGN 15.16

18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₺101

$1.16 BGN 1.92

88.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₺150

$1.92 BGN 3.19

69.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₺27.64

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.50 ₺1,450

$29.96 BGN 49.84

5.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ₺143

$1.39 BGN 2.31

123.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₺29.70

$0.71 BGN 1.17

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ₺228

$12.51 BGN 20.80

-60.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₺56.4

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-18.54%

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

$44.8K ₺2.1M

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

41.37%

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

$45.6K ₺2.1M

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

59.06%

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

$99.6 ₺4,588

$125 BGN 208

-20.15%

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

$11.43 ₺526

$19.16 BGN 31.87

-40.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.19 ₺607

$15.85 BGN 26.37

-16.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.97 ₺2,209

$40.38 BGN 67.2

18.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.08 ₺833

$14.52 BGN 24.15

24.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 ₺359

$9.11 BGN 15.16

-14.38%

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

$447 ₺20.6K

$400 BGN 666

11.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₺579.7K

$5,515 BGN 9,174

128.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ₺2,388

$60.2 BGN 100

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ₺1,656

$33.44 BGN 55.6

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 ₺4,236

$92.6 BGN 154

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₺5,219

$100 BGN 167

12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 ₺29.6K

$515 BGN 857

24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₺21.3K

$391 BGN 650

18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 ₺50.4K

$907 BGN 1,508

20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₺34.1K

$646 BGN 1,075

14.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,550 ₺71.4K

$3,420 BGN 5,690

-54.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,080 ₺49.7K

$2,147 BGN 3,572

-49.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,148 ₺52.9K

$1,196 BGN 1,989

-4.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

39.1

4.71

730.15%

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

Last update for Izmir: June 1, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Izmir and $515 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Izmir vs $47.00 in Varna. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $253, with Varna cheaper for home cooking.

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

Varna wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Varna earns 4% less. 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: $643 in Izmir versus $515 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,235 per month in Izmir versus $1,189 in Varna – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Varna runs roughly 5% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,189 in Varna versus $1,235 in Izmir, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varna but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Varna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Varna delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,189 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varna 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 Varna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.