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: $761 in Sliven versus $1,189 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,207 in Sliven versus $1,839 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Sliven versus $2,489 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

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-24.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.75 BGN 59.5

$46.66 BGN 77.6

-23.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 BGN 14.49

$8.68 BGN 14.43

0.35%

Cappuccino

$1.84 BGN 3.06

$2.58 BGN 4.30

-28.68%

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

$1.27 BGN 2.11

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-30.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 BGN 2.90

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 BGN 3.81

$3.02 BGN 5.03

-24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.64

$1.88 BGN 3.14

-15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$1.08 BGN 1.79

-25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$2.44 BGN 4.06

-9.43%

Eggs

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$3.30 BGN 5.48

-34.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 BGN 13.44

$11.00 BGN 18.30

-26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 BGN 9.16

$8.46 BGN 14.08

-34.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 BGN 11.54

$12.26 BGN 20.40

-43.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-12.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 BGN 2.86

$2.13 BGN 3.54

-19.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 BGN 2.47

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 BGN 3.75

$2.79 BGN 4.64

-19.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 BGN 0.85

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.51

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.74

$1.03 BGN 1.71

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 BGN 0.79

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 BGN 5.87

$3.76 BGN 6.26

-6.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 BGN 10.31

$9.12 BGN 15.16

-32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.74

$1.16 BGN 1.92

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$1.92 BGN 3.19

-33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.12 BGN 60.1

$29.96 BGN 49.84

20.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 1.94

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-16.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BGN 1.29

$0.71 BGN 1.17

8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$12.51 BGN 20.80

-28.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 BGN 2.37

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-5.30%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

0.85%

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

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

-3.11%

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

$89.0 BGN 148

$125 BGN 208

-28.67%

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

$17.99 BGN 29.94

$19.16 BGN 31.87

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.21 BGN 15.33

$15.85 BGN 26.37

-41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 BGN 38.57

$40.38 BGN 67.2

-42.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.92 BGN 24.82

$14.52 BGN 24.15

2.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 BGN 10.04

$9.11 BGN 15.16

-33.81%

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

$422 BGN 703

$400 BGN 666

5.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,038 BGN 11.7K

$5,515 BGN 9,174

27.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 BGN 99.8

$60.2 BGN 100

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.21 BGN 38.62

$33.44 BGN 55.6

-30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 BGN 116

$92.6 BGN 154

-24.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 BGN 107

$100 BGN 167

-35.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$233 BGN 387

$515 BGN 857

-54.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 BGN 249

$391 BGN 650

-61.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 BGN 559

$907 BGN 1,508

-62.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 BGN 447

$646 BGN 1,075

-58.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 BGN 1,965

$3,420 BGN 5,690

-65.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$965 BGN 1,605

$2,147 BGN 3,572

-55.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 BGN 2,320

$1,196 BGN 1,989

16.65%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $233 in Sliven and $515 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 17% 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 $47.00 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $253 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sliven pays 17% more on average, 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: $233 in Sliven versus $515 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $422 in Sliven versus $400 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in Sliven versus $1,189 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 56% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.