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: $924 in Popovo versus $1,468 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,418 in Popovo versus $2,264 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,911 in Popovo versus $3,059 in Varna.

Living in Popovo costs roughly 37% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Popovo is 33% below, Varna is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.93 BGN 14.85

$14.11 BGN 23.47

-36.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 BGN 50.1

$61.8 BGN 103

-51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 BGN 12.20

$10.71 BGN 17.81

-31.56%

Cappuccino

$1.18 BGN 1.96

$2.95 BGN 4.90

-60.00%

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

$0.79 BGN 1.32

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-59.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 BGN 2.72

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-5.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 BGN 4.58

$2.92 BGN 4.86

-5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 BGN 6.82

$3.80 BGN 6.32

7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.98 BGN 3.29

-23.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BGN 3.85

$2.66 BGN 4.42

-12.78%

Eggs

$2.75 BGN 4.58

$3.59 BGN 5.97

-23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 BGN 12.13

$11.99 BGN 19.94

-39.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 BGN 13.58

$9.68 BGN 16.11

-15.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 BGN 24.61

$14.79 BGN 24.61

0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.98 BGN 3.30

-24.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 BGN 2.45

$2.27 BGN 3.77

-35.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 BGN 3.90

$3.10 BGN 5.15

-24.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.37 BGN 2.28

-22.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.06 BGN 1.76

14.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$0.80 BGN 1.33

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 BGN 6.93

$4.23 BGN 7.03

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 BGN 10.50

$9.09 BGN 15.12

-30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 BGN 1.42

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 BGN 3.49

$1.87 BGN 3.11

12.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-23.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 BGN 36.11

$29.17 BGN 48.53

-25.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 BGN 0.95

$1.52 BGN 2.53

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 BGN 0.96

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-36.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.39 BGN 13.96

$12.55 BGN 20.87

-33.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 BGN 2.60

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-9.83%

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

$29.1K BGN 48.4K

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

-5.42%

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

$22.4K BGN 37.3K

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

-14.88%

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

$115 BGN 191

$182 BGN 302

-36.77%

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

$18.94 BGN 31.50

$21.15 BGN 35.19

-10.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.27 BGN 27.07

$17.25 BGN 28.70

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.82 BGN 34.64

$54.4 BGN 90.4

-61.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 BGN 30.12

$20.77 BGN 34.55

-12.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 BGN 10.99

$9.03 BGN 15.02

-26.80%

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

$538 BGN 894

$520 BGN 865

3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,771 BGN 9,600

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

-11.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 BGN 88.2

$67.8 BGN 113

-21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.73 BGN 69.4

$35.02 BGN 58.3

19.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 BGN 120

$104 BGN 173

-30.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.76 BGN 79.5

$106 BGN 176

-54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 BGN 651

$644 BGN 1,071

-39.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 BGN 459

$480 BGN 799

-42.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 BGN 871

$1,307 BGN 2,174

-59.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 BGN 654

$932 BGN 1,550

-57.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,565 BGN 2,604

$3,351 BGN 5,575

-53.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,065 BGN 1,772

$2,215 BGN 3,684

-51.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,323 BGN 2,202

$1,240 BGN 2,062

6.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

2.93

5.80%

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

Last update for Popovo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Popovo and $644 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Popovo vs $62.0 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $283 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Popovo, 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: $392 in Popovo versus $644 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $30.00 versus $62.0 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Popovo versus $1,468 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 59% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.