Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $749 in Smolyan versus $1,468 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,211 in Smolyan versus $2,264 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Smolyan versus $3,059 in Varna.

Living in Smolyan costs roughly 49% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Smolyan is 45% below, Varna is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 BGN 10.65

$14.11 BGN 23.47

-54.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.88 BGN 64.7

$61.8 BGN 103

-37.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 BGN 9.97

$10.71 BGN 17.81

-43.98%

Cappuccino

$1.32 BGN 2.20

$2.95 BGN 4.90

-55.25%

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

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-45.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.28

$1.73 BGN 2.87

-55.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 BGN 3.02

$2.92 BGN 4.86

-37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 BGN 3.81

$3.80 BGN 6.32

-39.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$1.98 BGN 3.29

-12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$1.32 BGN 2.19

-31.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 BGN 3.01

$2.66 BGN 4.42

-31.95%

Eggs

$3.51 BGN 5.84

$3.59 BGN 5.97

-2.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 BGN 15.22

$11.99 BGN 19.94

-23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 BGN 9.84

$9.68 BGN 16.11

-38.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 BGN 14.78

$14.79 BGN 24.61

-39.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$1.98 BGN 3.30

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$2.27 BGN 3.77

-19.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$2.27 BGN 3.78

-47.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 BGN 4.01

$3.10 BGN 5.15

-22.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 BGN 1.95

$1.37 BGN 2.28

-14.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$1.12 BGN 1.86

26.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 BGN 0.94

$0.80 BGN 1.33

-28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BGN 5.99

$4.23 BGN 7.03

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 BGN 9.78

$9.09 BGN 15.12

-35.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 BGN 0.94

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.05

$1.87 BGN 3.11

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 BGN 1.64

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.23 BGN 56.9

$29.17 BGN 48.53

17.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 BGN 2.18

$1.52 BGN 2.53

-13.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 BGN 0.94

$0.91 BGN 1.52

-37.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.33 BGN 20.51

$12.55 BGN 20.87

-1.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$1.73 BGN 2.89

-8.67%

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

$23.6K BGN 39.3K

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

-23.12%

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

$23.2K BGN 38.6K

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

-11.93%

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

$111 BGN 184

$182 BGN 302

-39.01%

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

$14.79 BGN 24.61

$21.15 BGN 35.19

-30.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.60 BGN 15.98

$17.25 BGN 28.70

-44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.06 BGN 38.36

$54.4 BGN 90.4

-57.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 BGN 29.33

$20.77 BGN 34.55

-15.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.11 BGN 13.48

$9.03 BGN 15.02

-10.19%

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

$236 BGN 393

$520 BGN 865

-54.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,167 BGN 10.3K

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

-5.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.43 BGN 48.96

$67.8 BGN 113

-56.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.02 BGN 36.64

$35.02 BGN 58.3

-37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 BGN 104

$104 BGN 173

-39.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 BGN 107

$106 BGN 176

-38.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 BGN 344

$644 BGN 1,071

-67.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 BGN 243

$480 BGN 799

-69.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 BGN 498

$1,307 BGN 2,174

-77.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 BGN 417

$932 BGN 1,550

-73.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,346 BGN 2,239

$3,351 BGN 5,575

-59.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,121 BGN 1,865

$2,215 BGN 3,684

-49.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 BGN 1,190

$1,240 BGN 2,062

-42.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

2.93

10.92%

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

Last update for Smolyan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Smolyan and $644 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 73% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Smolyan vs $62.0 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $283 per month, with Smolyan 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

Smolyan vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Smolyan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Varna. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Smolyan versus $644 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Smolyan versus $520 in Varna. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $749 in Smolyan versus $1,468 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Smolyan but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Smolyan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Smolyan 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, Smolyan 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 Smolyan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.