Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shumen and Varna

For one person, living is cheaper in Shumen: $913 a month against $1,408 in Varna, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Shumen
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Shumen Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Varna
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Varna Living Index

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Shumen

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$913

/mo nomad

Varna

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,408

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $913 per month in Shumen vs $1,408 in Varna, rent included.

Shumen $913
Varna $1,408

A couple spends around $1,422 per month in Shumen vs $2,217 in Varna, rent included.

Shumen $1,422
Varna $2,217

A family of three spends $1,931 per month in Shumen vs $3,026 in Varna, rent included.

Shumen $1,931
Varna $3,026

Shumen is about 35% cheaper than Varna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Shumen sits 33% below the global median, while Varna is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 BGN 15.99

$12.46 BGN 21.81

-26.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.66 BGN 60.7

$59.9 BGN 105

-42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 BGN 15.99

$10.16 BGN 17.77

-10.04%

Cappuccino

$1.69 BGN 2.96

$2.87 BGN 5.02

-41.11%

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

$1.43 BGN 2.50

$1.89 BGN 3.31

-24.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.87

$1.62 BGN 2.83

-33.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BGN 5.15

$2.81 BGN 4.91

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 BGN 5.06

$3.50 BGN 6.12

-17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 BGN 3.23

$1.92 BGN 3.36

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.89

$1.24 BGN 2.17

-12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.57 BGN 4.49

$2.58 BGN 4.52

-0.39%

Eggs

$2.85 BGN 4.98

$3.53 BGN 6.17

-19.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 BGN 15.94

$11.53 BGN 20.18

-20.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 BGN 8.95

$9.28 BGN 16.25

-44.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 BGN 15.51

$13.97 BGN 24.46

-36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 BGN 2.66

$1.90 BGN 3.33

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.57

$2.16 BGN 3.79

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 BGN 3.80

$2.12 BGN 3.72

2.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BGN 4.02

$3.00 BGN 5.25

-23.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.59

$1.30 BGN 2.28

57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BGN 2.20

$1.04 BGN 1.82

20.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 BGN 1.53

$1.05 BGN 1.84

-16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.34

$0.78 BGN 1.36

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 BGN 6.41

$4.03 BGN 7.04

-8.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 BGN 12.25

$8.90 BGN 15.57

-21.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 BGN 1.69

$1.17 BGN 2.05

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 BGN 2.57

$1.80 BGN 3.15

-18.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$1.13 BGN 1.98

-22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.12 BGN 45.72

$28.11 BGN 49.19

-7.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$1.56 BGN 2.74

12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 BGN 0.93

$0.88 BGN 1.55

-39.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 BGN 21.34

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.78

$1.74 BGN 3.05

-8.62%

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

$30.9K BGN 54.1K

$29.6K BGN 51.7K

4.61%

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

$22.3K BGN 39.1K

$24.7K BGN 43.3K

-9.74%

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

$133 BGN 232

$176 BGN 308

-24.64%

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

$17.68 BGN 30.94

$20.41 BGN 35.71

-13.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.94 BGN 29.64

$15.68 BGN 27.43

8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.15 BGN 66.8

$51.4 BGN 90.0

-25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.41 BGN 19.97

$19.47 BGN 34.07

-41.40%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 BGN 12.32

$9.06 BGN 15.86

-22.30%

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

$561 BGN 982

$498 BGN 872

12.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K BGN 18.4K

$6,292 BGN 11.0K

66.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 BGN 83.8

$65.3 BGN 114

-26.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 BGN 90.4

$33.01 BGN 57.8

56.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 BGN 165

$102 BGN 179

-7.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 BGN 106

$99.7 BGN 174

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 BGN 460

$640 BGN 1,120

-58.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 BGN 315

$482 BGN 843

-62.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 BGN 748

$1,362 BGN 2,383

-68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 BGN 584

$916 BGN 1,602

-63.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,231 BGN 2,154

$2,998 BGN 5,246

-58.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$997 BGN 1,744

$2,090 BGN 3,657

-52.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,024 BGN 1,792

$1,286 BGN 2,250

-20.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

2.82

15.25%

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

Last update for Shumen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Varna: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Shumen

$214 23.4%

Varna

$272 19.3% 27.2% $58

Accommodation & Living

Shumen

$180 19.7%

Varna

$482 34.2% 168% $302

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shumen

$167 18.3%

Varna

$212 15.1% 26.8% $45

Eating Out

Shumen

$151 16.6%

Varna

$200 14.2% 31.9% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Shumen

$114 12.5%

Varna

$135 9.6% 18.1% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Shumen

$52 5.7%

Varna

$70 4.9% 33.1% $17

Getting Around

Shumen

$34 3.7%

Varna

$39 2.7% 13.4% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Shumen versus $640 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 26% 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 $35 in Shumen versus $60 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $272 – making Shumen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Shumen

🇧🇬 Varna

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

Same time as Shumen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,504

348,058

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.512 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Shumen Varna 81 km

From you

Shumen
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

Shumen vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $913 in Shumen, $1,408 in Varna – Shumen comes out roughly 35% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Shumen and $2,113 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shumen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $263 there versus $640 in Varna.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $913 in Shumen and $1,408 in Varna. That makes Shumen about 35% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Shumen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Shumen, where all-in costs run around $913, than in Varna at $1,408. In Shumen 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 $913 in Shumen to $1,408 in Varna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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