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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,214 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,889 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,564 in Varna.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 19% more expensive than Varna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Varna is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$11.73 BGN 19.51

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$47.68 BGN 79.3

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$8.67 BGN 14.42

8.77%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.51 BGN 4.18

42.23%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.76 BGN 2.92

-8.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.92 BGN 4.85

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.91 BGN 4.85

67.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.88 BGN 3.12

-9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.07 BGN 1.78

146.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-24.30%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.32 BGN 5.53

-23.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$10.94 BGN 18.21

-7.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$8.36 BGN 13.91

-0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.35 BGN 20.55

-6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.61 BGN 2.68

88.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.04 BGN 3.39

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.84 BGN 3.07

11.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.77 BGN 4.61

-25.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.20 BGN 2.00

71.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.09 BGN 1.81

99.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.98 BGN 1.63

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.71 BGN 1.18

57.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$3.81 BGN 6.34

12.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$8.77 BGN 14.59

75.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.11 BGN 1.85

50.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.90 BGN 3.17

94.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.15 BGN 1.91

-66.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$29.14 BGN 48.48

-34.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.34 BGN 2.23

2.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-60.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$12.31 BGN 20.47

-55.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.55 BGN 2.57

-17.42%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

-39.98%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$29.0K BGN 48.2K

-19.03%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$125 BGN 208

-67.23%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$18.90 BGN 31.45

42.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$15.73 BGN 26.16

88.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$40.83 BGN 67.9

28.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$14.43 BGN 24.01

81.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$8.96 BGN 14.91

-31.03%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$407 BGN 677

5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,528 BGN 9,196

93.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.7 BGN 99.3

-4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$33.90 BGN 56.4

32.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$92.6 BGN 154

12.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$102 BGN 170

3.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$521 BGN 867

90.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$391 BGN 651

58.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$908 BGN 1,510

134.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$633 BGN 1,053

98.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,234 BGN 5,381

20.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,112 BGN 3,513

-0.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,200 BGN 1,996

-7.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.71

140.76%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $521 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $48.00 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $251 per month, with Varna 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

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

Mexico City and Varna differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,214 including rent). Varna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Varna earns 8% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $521 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 53% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $407 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,214 in Varna versus $1,447 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 19% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.