Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliven and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Sliven and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Sliven versus $1,194 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,234 in Sliven versus $1,839 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,706 in Sliven versus $2,485 in Varna.

Living in Sliven costs roughly 36% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sliven 43% lower, Varna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 BGN 14.91

$11.85 BGN 19.71

-24.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.15 BGN 58.5

$46.45 BGN 77.3

-24.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 BGN 14.65

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-1.67%

Cappuccino

$1.93 BGN 3.20

$2.59 BGN 4.30

-25.48%

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

$1.32 BGN 2.20

$1.76 BGN 2.93

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BGN 1.46

$1.27 BGN 2.12

-30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 BGN 3.02

$3.01 BGN 5.00

-39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 BGN 3.89

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.61

$1.86 BGN 3.10

-15.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 BGN 1.40

$1.08 BGN 1.79

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 BGN 3.65

$2.52 BGN 4.20

-13.10%

Eggs

$2.25 BGN 3.74

$3.37 BGN 5.61

-33.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 BGN 13.35

$10.62 BGN 17.67

-24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 BGN 9.13

$8.43 BGN 14.03

-34.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 BGN 11.59

$12.25 BGN 20.37

-43.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$1.63 BGN 2.72

-8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.15 BGN 3.57

-20.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 BGN 2.37

$1.84 BGN 3.07

-22.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$2.76 BGN 4.60

-19.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 BGN 0.87

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-55.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 BGN 1.48

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.03 BGN 1.71

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 BGN 0.81

$0.74 BGN 1.24

-33.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BGN 5.98

$3.74 BGN 6.23

-3.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 BGN 10.12

$8.62 BGN 14.33

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.10 BGN 1.83

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$1.89 BGN 3.15

-32.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 BGN 1.14

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-42.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.52 BGN 60.8

$29.77 BGN 49.52

22.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.39 BGN 2.32

-17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$0.66 BGN 1.10

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 BGN 14.29

$12.56 BGN 20.89

-31.61%

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)

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

3.01%

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

$28.0K BGN 46.5K

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

-4.36%

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

$86.8 BGN 144

$126 BGN 209

-30.98%

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

$17.78 BGN 29.57

$18.91 BGN 31.46

-5.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.46 BGN 15.73

$15.54 BGN 25.85

-39.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.71 BGN 39.44

$40.40 BGN 67.2

-41.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 BGN 24.71

$14.59 BGN 24.26

1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 BGN 9.89

$8.97 BGN 14.91

-33.67%

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

$430 BGN 715

$413 BGN 688

4.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,076 BGN 11.8K

$5,520 BGN 9,183

28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 BGN 98.0

$59.8 BGN 99.6

-1.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.14 BGN 38.50

$33.55 BGN 55.8

-31.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 BGN 118

$93.7 BGN 156

-24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.2 BGN 104

$98.4 BGN 164

-36.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 BGN 398

$520 BGN 865

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 BGN 241

$388 BGN 646

-62.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 BGN 565

$894 BGN 1,488

-62.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 BGN 444

$633 BGN 1,054

-57.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 BGN 1,929

$3,359 BGN 5,589

-65.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$954 BGN 1,587

$2,134 BGN 3,550

-55.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 BGN 2,211

$1,212 BGN 2,017

9.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

4.71

-9.77%

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

Last update for Sliven: July 11, 2026

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Sliven and $520 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Sliven vs $46.00 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $251 per month, with Sliven 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

Sliven vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sliven is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Sliven, 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: $239 in Sliven versus $520 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $430 in Sliven versus $413 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $763 in Sliven versus $1,194 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sliven but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Sliven the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sliven 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, Sliven 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 Sliven gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.