Cost of Living Comparison Between Popovo and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Popovo and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $891 in Popovo versus $1,189 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Popovo versus $1,839 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,803 in Popovo versus $2,489 in Varna.

Living in Popovo costs roughly 25% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Popovo 33% lower, Varna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 BGN 14.98

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-22.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.47 BGN 49.02

$46.66 BGN 77.6

-36.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 BGN 11.47

$8.68 BGN 14.43

-20.62%

Cappuccino

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$2.58 BGN 4.30

-55.04%

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

$0.79 BGN 1.32

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-56.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$1.28 BGN 2.13

10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 BGN 4.83

$2.88 BGN 4.79

0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 BGN 5.41

$3.02 BGN 5.03

7.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.88 BGN 3.14

-41.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 BGN 1.64

$1.08 BGN 1.79

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$2.44 BGN 4.06

-35.66%

Eggs

$1.87 BGN 3.11

$3.30 BGN 5.48

-43.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 BGN 10.07

$11.00 BGN 18.30

-44.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 BGN 14.62

$8.46 BGN 14.08

3.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 BGN 22.00

$12.26 BGN 20.40

7.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 1.99

$2.13 BGN 3.54

-43.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-37.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$2.79 BGN 4.64

-20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 BGN 1.61

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$1.03 BGN 1.71

-4.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 BGN 6.54

$3.76 BGN 6.26

4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.14 BGN 10.21

$9.12 BGN 15.16

-32.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 BGN 1.50

$1.16 BGN 1.92

-22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 BGN 0.95

$1.92 BGN 3.19

-70.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.52

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.64 BGN 44.31

$29.96 BGN 49.84

-11.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 BGN 1.02

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-56.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 BGN 0.86

$0.71 BGN 1.17

-26.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 BGN 13.80

$12.51 BGN 20.80

-33.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-0.66%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

-7.57%

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

$22.5K BGN 37.4K

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

-21.68%

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

$116 BGN 194

$125 BGN 208

-6.76%

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

$18.41 BGN 30.62

$19.16 BGN 31.87

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.34 BGN 25.52

$15.85 BGN 26.37

-3.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.27 BGN 48.69

$40.38 BGN 67.2

-27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 BGN 24.17

$14.52 BGN 24.15

0.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 BGN 11.91

$9.11 BGN 15.16

-21.41%

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

$640 BGN 1,065

$400 BGN 666

59.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,441 BGN 9,052

$5,515 BGN 9,174

-1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 BGN 89.7

$60.2 BGN 100

-10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 BGN 59.4

$33.44 BGN 55.6

6.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 BGN 119

$92.6 BGN 154

-22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.39 BGN 77.2

$100 BGN 167

-53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 BGN 486

$515 BGN 857

-43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 BGN 383

$391 BGN 650

-41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 BGN 779

$907 BGN 1,508

-48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 BGN 595

$646 BGN 1,075

-44.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,467 BGN 2,440

$3,420 BGN 5,690

-57.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 BGN 2,021

$2,147 BGN 3,572

-43.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,330 BGN 2,212

$1,196 BGN 1,989

11.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.71

-34.39%

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

Last update for Popovo: June 2, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $292 in Popovo and $515 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Popovo vs $47.00 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $253 per month, with Popovo 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

Popovo vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Popovo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Popovo pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $292 in Popovo versus $515 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Popovo – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $47.00 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $891 in Popovo versus $1,189 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Popovo but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Popovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Popovo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Varna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Popovo 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 Popovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.