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: $814 in Sliven versus $1,486 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,284 in Sliven versus $2,323 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Sliven versus $3,161 in Varna.

Living in Sliven costs roughly 45% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sliven is 41% below, Varna is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 BGN 19.86

$14.23 BGN 23.67

-16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.86 BGN 59.7

$59.9 BGN 99.6

-40.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.48 BGN 17.43

$10.72 BGN 17.83

-2.24%

Cappuccino

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$2.97 BGN 4.94

-35.02%

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

$1.28 BGN 2.12

$1.96 BGN 3.27

-34.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$1.67 BGN 2.79

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$2.89 BGN 4.80

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BGN 3.86

$3.70 BGN 6.16

-37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.65

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 BGN 1.32

$1.28 BGN 2.14

-38.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 BGN 4.68

$2.70 BGN 4.49

4.07%

Eggs

$2.24 BGN 3.73

$3.72 BGN 6.18

-39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 BGN 13.44

$11.67 BGN 19.42

-30.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 BGN 9.29

$9.35 BGN 15.56

-40.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 BGN 11.08

$14.86 BGN 24.72

-55.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 BGN 2.55

$2.07 BGN 3.45

-26.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-26.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.41

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-34.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 BGN 3.66

$3.19 BGN 5.31

-31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 BGN 0.85

$1.30 BGN 2.16

-60.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$1.08 BGN 1.80

-20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.05 BGN 1.75

3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 BGN 0.81

$0.86 BGN 1.43

-43.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BGN 6.05

$4.24 BGN 7.06

-14.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 BGN 10.59

$8.94 BGN 14.87

-28.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.28 BGN 2.12

-14.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 BGN 2.24

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BGN 1.13

$1.04 BGN 1.72

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.20 BGN 61.9

$29.45 BGN 48.99

26.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-23.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.93 BGN 1.54

-35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 BGN 14.41

$12.45 BGN 20.71

-30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BGN 2.57

$1.75 BGN 2.90

-11.43%

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

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

-2.60%

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

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

-11.31%

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

$87.8 BGN 146

$179 BGN 297

-50.91%

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

$21.17 BGN 35.21

$21.82 BGN 36.30

-2.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 BGN 15.39

$17.25 BGN 28.70

-46.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.00 BGN 39.93

$53.8 BGN 89.5

-55.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BGN 34.25

Cinema Ticket

$5.97 BGN 9.92

$9.10 BGN 15.14

-34.40%

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

$529 BGN 880

$536 BGN 892

-1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,434 BGN 10.7K

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

-2.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 BGN 97.8

$67.2 BGN 112

-12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.13 BGN 40.14

$34.37 BGN 57.2

-29.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 BGN 119

$104 BGN 173

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 BGN 108

$106 BGN 176

-38.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 BGN 392

$636 BGN 1,059

-63.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 BGN 243

$489 BGN 813

-70.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 BGN 565

$1,359 BGN 2,261

-75.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 BGN 447

$927 BGN 1,542

-71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,174 BGN 1,954

$3,327 BGN 5,534

-64.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$966 BGN 1,607

$2,199 BGN 3,659

-56.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,383 BGN 2,301

$1,297 BGN 2,158

6.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.87

2.9

-1.03%

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

Last update for Sliven: September 8, 2026

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Sliven and $636 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven 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: $36.00 in Sliven vs $60.0 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $283 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% 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: $235 in Sliven versus $636 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $529 in Sliven versus $536 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $814 in Sliven versus $1,486 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 83% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.