Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,486 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,323 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,161 in Varna.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 13% more expensive than in Varna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Varna 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$14.23 BGN 23.67

-14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$59.9 BGN 99.6

-9.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$10.72 BGN 17.83

3.45%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.97 BGN 4.94

38.05%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.67 BGN 2.79

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$2.89 BGN 4.80

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.70 BGN 6.16

58.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-7.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.28 BGN 2.14

147.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.70 BGN 4.49

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.72 BGN 6.18

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$11.67 BGN 19.42

7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$9.35 BGN 15.56

8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.86 BGN 24.72

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.07 BGN 3.45

63.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-8.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.19 BGN 5.31

-24.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.30 BGN 2.16

63.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.08 BGN 1.80

86.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.05 BGN 1.75

47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.86 BGN 1.43

58.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$4.24 BGN 7.06

36.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.94 BGN 14.87

98.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.28 BGN 2.12

61.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.95 BGN 3.24

136.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.04 BGN 1.72

-64.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$29.45 BGN 48.99

-28.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.58 BGN 2.62

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.93 BGN 1.54

-37.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$12.45 BGN 20.71

-51.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.75 BGN 2.90

-11.43%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

-27.62%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

3.76%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$179 BGN 297

-62.29%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$21.82 BGN 36.30

40.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$17.25 BGN 28.70

115.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$53.8 BGN 89.5

14.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$20.59 BGN 34.25

31.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-21.87%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$536 BGN 892

-14.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

108.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$67.2 BGN 112

10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$34.37 BGN 57.2

65.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$104 BGN 173

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$106 BGN 176

14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$636 BGN 1,059

80.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$489 BGN 813

45.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,359 BGN 2,261

89.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$927 BGN 1,542

39.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$3,327 BGN 5,534

20.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$2,199 BGN 3,659

-3.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,297 BGN 2,158

-16.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.9

289.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $636 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $60.0 in Varna. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $283, 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

Mexico City vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Varna differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,486 including rent). Varna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $636 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varna runs roughly 39% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $536 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,486 in Varna versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varna but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Varna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City 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 13% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.