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: $753 in Smolyan versus $1,189 in Varna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Smolyan versus $1,839 in Varna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,682 in Smolyan versus $2,489 in Varna.

Living in Smolyan costs roughly 37% less than in Varna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Smolyan 44% lower, Varna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 BGN 10.76

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-44.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 BGN 63.0

$46.66 BGN 77.6

-18.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 BGN 9.59

$8.68 BGN 14.43

-33.64%

Cappuccino

$1.35 BGN 2.24

$2.58 BGN 4.30

-47.67%

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

$1.36 BGN 2.26

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 BGN 1.68

$1.28 BGN 2.13

-21.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-36.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 BGN 3.71

$3.02 BGN 5.03

-26.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 BGN 3.02

$1.88 BGN 3.14

-3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$1.08 BGN 1.79

-15.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 BGN 2.97

$2.44 BGN 4.06

-27.05%

Eggs

$3.45 BGN 5.73

$3.30 BGN 5.48

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 BGN 17.98

$11.00 BGN 18.30

-1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.75 BGN 9.57

$8.46 BGN 14.08

-32.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 BGN 14.38

$12.26 BGN 20.40

-29.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 1.99

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-27.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 BGN 2.97

$2.13 BGN 3.54

-15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 BGN 2.02

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-34.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 BGN 3.86

$2.79 BGN 4.64

-16.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 BGN 2.37

$1.14 BGN 1.90

25.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BGN 1.94

$1.03 BGN 1.71

13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 BGN 1.01

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 BGN 5.84

$3.76 BGN 6.26

-6.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 BGN 10.16

$9.12 BGN 15.16

-33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$1.16 BGN 1.92

-47.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 BGN 2.81

$1.92 BGN 3.19

-11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-24.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.37 BGN 55.5

$29.96 BGN 49.84

11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 BGN 0.92

$0.71 BGN 1.17

-22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.97 BGN 19.91

$12.51 BGN 20.80

-4.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.64

$1.51 BGN 2.51

4.64%

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

$23.2K BGN 38.5K

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

-26.90%

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

$24.8K BGN 41.2K

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

-13.60%

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

$119 BGN 198

$125 BGN 208

-4.44%

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

$16.39 BGN 27.27

$19.16 BGN 31.87

-14.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.29 BGN 15.46

$15.85 BGN 26.37

-41.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.97 BGN 38.21

$40.38 BGN 67.2

-43.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 BGN 24.90

$14.52 BGN 24.15

3.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 BGN 11.81

$9.11 BGN 15.16

-22.06%

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

$321 BGN 535

$400 BGN 666

-19.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 BGN 9,176

$5,515 BGN 9,174

0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.60 BGN 49.24

$60.2 BGN 100

-50.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.54 BGN 37.50

$33.44 BGN 55.6

-32.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 BGN 103

$92.6 BGN 154

-33.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 BGN 109

$100 BGN 167

-34.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 BGN 340

$515 BGN 857

-60.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 BGN 250

$391 BGN 650

-61.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 BGN 487

$907 BGN 1,508

-67.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 BGN 410

$646 BGN 1,075

-61.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 BGN 2,274

$3,420 BGN 5,690

-60.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,113 BGN 1,852

$2,147 BGN 3,572

-48.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$709 BGN 1,179

$1,196 BGN 1,989

-40.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.71

-4.46%

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

Last update for Smolyan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $205 in Smolyan and $515 in Varna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 69% 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: $38.00 in Smolyan vs $47.00 in Varna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $253 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 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Varna earns 69% less. 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: $205 in Smolyan versus $515 in Varna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Smolyan 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 23% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $753 in Smolyan versus $1,189 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 58% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.