Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sandanski and Varna

For one person, living is cheaper in Sandanski: $1,031 a month against $1,411 in Varna, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Sandanski
Learn more

Sandanski Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Varna
Learn more

Varna Living Index

Jump to prices

Sandanski

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,031

/mo nomad

Varna

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,411

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sandanski 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 Sandanski and in Varna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Sandanski vs $1,411 in Varna, rent included.

Sandanski $1,031
Varna $1,411

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Sandanski vs $2,223 in Varna, rent included.

Sandanski $1,611
Varna $2,223

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Sandanski vs $3,035 in Varna, rent included.

Sandanski $2,191
Varna $3,035

Sandanski is about 27% cheaper than Varna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sandanski sits 24% below the global median, while Varna is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.01 BGN 15.68

$12.74 BGN 22.18

-29.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.27 BGN 78.8

$59.4 BGN 103

-23.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 BGN 16.50

$10.24 BGN 17.81

-7.42%

Cappuccino

$2.90 BGN 5.05

$2.92 BGN 5.08

-0.68%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.17

$1.97 BGN 3.42

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BGN 2.74

$1.64 BGN 2.86

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 BGN 4.55

$2.82 BGN 4.90

-7.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 BGN 7.47

$3.48 BGN 6.06

23.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.92

$1.95 BGN 3.39

-13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 BGN 1.95

$1.24 BGN 2.16

-9.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 BGN 3.93

$2.67 BGN 4.64

-15.36%

Eggs

$3.08 BGN 5.36

$3.42 BGN 5.96

-9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 BGN 20.12

$11.35 BGN 19.74

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 BGN 14.78

$9.31 BGN 16.21

-8.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 BGN 24.24

$14.35 BGN 24.98

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.88

$2.01 BGN 3.50

-17.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.19

$2.08 BGN 3.62

-12.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 BGN 3.48

$2.11 BGN 3.67

-5.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$2.92 BGN 5.08

-42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 BGN 1.87

$1.28 BGN 2.23

-16.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$1.04 BGN 1.81

-0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BGN 2.09

$1.02 BGN 1.78

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 BGN 1.26

$0.77 BGN 1.34

-6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 BGN 7.04

$4.03 BGN 7.01

0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 BGN 10.75

$8.97 BGN 15.61

-31.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 BGN 1.64

$1.18 BGN 2.05

-20.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 BGN 2.45

$1.79 BGN 3.12

-21.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.54

$0.88 BGN 1.52

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.94 BGN 41.65

$28.86 BGN 50.2

-17.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 BGN 2.14

$1.57 BGN 2.74

-21.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 BGN 1.07

$0.90 BGN 1.56

-31.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.32 BGN 17.96

$12.06 BGN 20.99

-14.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 BGN 2.54

$1.74 BGN 3.03

-16.09%

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

$29.6K BGN 51.5K

$30.4K BGN 52.9K

-2.59%

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

$24.7K BGN 43.0K

$24.5K BGN 42.7K

0.66%

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

$113 BGN 197

$177 BGN 307

-35.81%

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

$18.45 BGN 32.10

$21.08 BGN 36.67

-12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.60 BGN 27.14

$15.97 BGN 27.80

-2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.29 BGN 52.7

$51.2 BGN 89.0

-40.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 BGN 29.44

$19.51 BGN 33.94

-13.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 BGN 16.14

$9.52 BGN 16.56

-2.63%

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

$507 BGN 882

$511 BGN 890

-0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,479 BGN 9,533

$6,289 BGN 10.9K

-12.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 BGN 119

$65.1 BGN 113

5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 BGN 74.1

$33.59 BGN 58.5

26.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 BGN 168

$102 BGN 178

-5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 182

$103 BGN 179

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 BGN 567

$645 BGN 1,122

-49.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 BGN 434

$477 BGN 830

-47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 BGN 956

$1,365 BGN 2,376

-59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 BGN 688

$914 BGN 1,590

-56.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 BGN 2,279

$2,941 BGN 5,118

-55.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,088 BGN 1,893

$2,142 BGN 3,726

-49.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 BGN 978

$1,271 BGN 2,211

-55.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

2.82

9.93%

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

Last update for Sandanski: October 17, 2026

Last update for Varna: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sandanski

$249 24.2%

Varna

$477 33.8% 91.4% $228

Groceries & Markets

Sandanski

$243 23.5%

Varna

$272 19.3% 12.1% $29

Eating Out

Sandanski

$171 16.6%

Varna

$203 14.4% 19.1% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sandanski

$147 14.3%

Varna

$214 15.1% 44.9% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Sandanski

$140 13.6%

Varna

$137 9.7% 2.8% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

Sandanski

$49 4.7%

Varna

$70 5% 43.8% $21

Getting Around

Sandanski

$32 3.1%

Varna

$38 2.7% 20.8% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Sandanski versus $645 in Varna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 126% higher in Varna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Sandanski versus $59.0 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $272 – making Sandanski the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sandanski

🇧🇬 Varna

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

Same time as Sandanski

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,058

348,058

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sandanski Varna 420 km

From you

Sandanski
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

Sandanski vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Sandanski, $1,411 in Varna – roughly 37% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,547 per month in Sandanski and $2,117 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sandanski, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Sandanski and $1,411 in Varna. That's a gap of about 37%.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Sandanski. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sandanski, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Varna at $1,411. In Sandanski it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Varna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Sandanski to $1,411 in Varna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sandanski. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.