Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kardzhali and Varna

For one person, living is cheaper in Kardzhali: $651 a month against $1,408 in Varna, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Kardzhali
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Kardzhali Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Varna
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Varna Living Index

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Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$651

/mo nomad

Varna

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,408

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kardzhali and in Varna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kardzhali and in Varna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $651 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,408 in Varna, rent included.

Kardzhali $651
Varna $1,408

A couple spends around $1,068 per month in Kardzhali vs $2,217 in Varna, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,068
Varna $2,217

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Kardzhali vs $3,026 in Varna, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,484
Varna $3,026

Kardzhali is about 54% cheaper than Varna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kardzhali sits 52% below the global median, while Varna is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 BGN 19.28

$12.46 BGN 21.81

-11.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 BGN 40.45

$59.9 BGN 105

-61.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 BGN 15.52

$10.16 BGN 17.77

-12.70%

Cappuccino

$1.12 BGN 1.96

$2.87 BGN 5.02

-60.98%

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

$1.06 BGN 1.85

$1.89 BGN 3.31

-43.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.29

$1.62 BGN 2.83

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 BGN 2.78

$2.81 BGN 4.91

-43.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BGN 2.33

$3.50 BGN 6.12

-62.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 BGN 2.96

$1.92 BGN 3.36

-11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 BGN 1.25

$1.24 BGN 2.17

-41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 BGN 2.64

$2.58 BGN 4.52

-41.47%

Eggs

$2.83 BGN 4.95

$3.53 BGN 6.17

-19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 BGN 17.87

$11.53 BGN 20.18

-11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 BGN 9.68

$9.28 BGN 16.25

-40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.58 BGN 11.52

$13.97 BGN 24.46

-52.90%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 BGN 1.47

$1.90 BGN 3.33

-55.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.44

$2.16 BGN 3.79

-8.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.28

$2.12 BGN 3.72

-11.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 BGN 3.85

$3.00 BGN 5.25

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BGN 1.21

$1.30 BGN 2.28

-46.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 BGN 2.29

$1.04 BGN 1.82

25.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 BGN 1.18

$1.05 BGN 1.84

-36.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BGN 1.31

$0.78 BGN 1.36

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 BGN 6.23

$4.03 BGN 7.04

-11.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 BGN 7.66

$8.90 BGN 15.57

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BGN 1.75

$1.17 BGN 2.05

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BGN 2.47

$1.80 BGN 3.15

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 BGN 0.96

$1.13 BGN 1.98

-51.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.11 BGN 19.44

$28.11 BGN 49.19

-60.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 BGN 2.99

$1.56 BGN 2.74

9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.23

$0.88 BGN 1.55

-19.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 BGN 9.52

$12.19 BGN 21.34

-55.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 BGN 2.84

$1.74 BGN 3.05

-6.90%

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

$30.2K BGN 52.9K

$29.6K BGN 51.7K

2.35%

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

$24.0K BGN 42.1K

$24.7K BGN 43.3K

-2.81%

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

$61.4 BGN 107

$176 BGN 308

-65.12%

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

$5.56 BGN 9.73

$20.41 BGN 35.71

-72.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 BGN 13.80

$15.68 BGN 27.43

-49.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.90 BGN 40.08

$51.4 BGN 90.0

-55.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.47 BGN 34.07

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 BGN 15.33

$9.06 BGN 15.86

-3.31%

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

$230 BGN 402

$498 BGN 872

-53.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K BGN 25.6K

$6,292 BGN 11.0K

132.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.89 BGN 40.05

$65.3 BGN 114

-64.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.69 BGN 22.21

$33.01 BGN 57.8

-61.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.21 BGN 80.9

$102 BGN 179

-54.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 BGN 131

$99.7 BGN 174

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 BGN 201

$640 BGN 1,120

-82.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 BGN 199

$482 BGN 843

-76.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 BGN 406

$1,362 BGN 2,383

-82.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 BGN 479

$916 BGN 1,602

-70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,141 BGN 1,997

$2,998 BGN 5,246

-61.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 BGN 1,497

$2,090 BGN 3,657

-59.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,287 BGN 2,251

$1,286 BGN 2,250

0.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

2.82

15.25%

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

Last update for Kardzhali: October 27, 2026

Last update for Varna: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kardzhali

$187 28.7%

Varna

$272 19.3% 45.3% $85

Eating Out

Kardzhali

$146 22.4%

Varna

$200 14.2% 36.8% $54

Accommodation & Living

Kardzhali

$114 17.5%

Varna

$482 34.2% 324% $368

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kardzhali

$75 11.5%

Varna

$212 15.1% 183% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Kardzhali

$71 10.8%

Varna

$135 9.6% 91.7% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Kardzhali

$40 6.2%

Varna

$70 4.9% 72% $29

Getting Around

Kardzhali

$19 2.9%

Varna

$39 2.7% 108% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Kardzhali versus $640 in Varna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Kardzhali versus $60 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $272 – making Kardzhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Varna

🕒 Local time

12:40 12:40 PM

Same time as Kardzhali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,421

348,058

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kardzhali Varna 270 km

From you

Kardzhali
Varna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kardzhali vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varna costs about 116% more than Kardzhali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $976 per month in Kardzhali and $2,113 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kardzhali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $115 there versus $640 in Varna.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $651 in Kardzhali and $1,408 in Varna. That makes Kardzhali about 54% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $651, than in Varna at $1,408. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kardzhali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Kardzhali is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.