Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Varna Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Varna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Sofia vs $1,194 in Varna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,143 per month in Sofia vs $1,839 in Varna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,922 per month in Sofia vs $2,485 in Varna, rent included.

Sofia costs about 14% more than Varna, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Sofia sits 2% above the global median, while Varna is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 BGN 19.51

$11.85 BGN 19.71

-1.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.80 BGN 82.8

$46.45 BGN 77.3

7.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 BGN 14.59

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-2.12%

Cappuccino

$2.63 BGN 4.38

$2.59 BGN 4.30

1.54%

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

$1.78 BGN 2.96

$1.76 BGN 2.93

1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.36

$1.27 BGN 2.12

11.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 BGN 4.92

$3.01 BGN 5.00

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BGN 5.43

$2.88 BGN 4.79

13.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.86 BGN 3.10

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.08 BGN 1.79

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$2.52 BGN 4.20

-21.03%

Eggs

$3.96 BGN 6.58

$3.37 BGN 5.61

17.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 BGN 20.26

$10.62 BGN 17.67

14.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$8.43 BGN 14.03

3.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 BGN 21.60

$12.25 BGN 20.37

5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$1.63 BGN 2.72

17.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$2.15 BGN 3.57

-8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 BGN 3.31

$1.84 BGN 3.07

8.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 BGN 4.57

$2.76 BGN 4.60

-0.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.16 BGN 1.93

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-3.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.03 BGN 1.71

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.74 BGN 1.24

-10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 BGN 6.43

$3.74 BGN 6.23

3.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 BGN 12.29

$8.62 BGN 14.33

-14.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.04

$1.89 BGN 3.15

-3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 BGN 1.63

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-19.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$29.77 BGN 49.52

-1.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 BGN 2.40

$1.39 BGN 2.32

4.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$0.66 BGN 1.10

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.34 BGN 23.86

$12.56 BGN 20.89

14.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 BGN 2.62

$1.51 BGN 2.51

3.97%

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

$32.1K BGN 53.3K

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

0.85%

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

$29.0K BGN 48.3K

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

-0.77%

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

$150 BGN 249

$126 BGN 209

19.09%

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)

$15.40 BGN 25.62

$15.54 BGN 25.85

-0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 BGN 73.2

$40.40 BGN 67.2

8.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 BGN 35.73

$14.59 BGN 24.26

47.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 BGN 15.98

$8.97 BGN 14.91

7.13%

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

$642 BGN 1,068

$413 BGN 688

55.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,298 BGN 15.5K

$5,520 BGN 9,183

68.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 BGN 120

$59.8 BGN 99.6

20.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.78 BGN 59.5

$33.55 BGN 55.8

6.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 178

$93.7 BGN 156

14.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BGN 198

$98.4 BGN 164

20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 BGN 1,156

$520 BGN 865

33.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 BGN 838

$388 BGN 646

29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,257 BGN 2,091

$894 BGN 1,488

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$633 BGN 1,054

40.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,422 BGN 7,356

$3,359 BGN 5,589

31.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,336 BGN 5,550

$2,134 BGN 3,550

56.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,674 BGN 2,785

$1,212 BGN 2,017

38.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

4.71

-34.39%

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

Last update for Sofia: July 11, 2026

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Sofia versus $520 in Varna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Sofia, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Sofia versus $46.00 in Varna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $251 – making Varna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sofia vs Varna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,365 in Sofia, $1,194 in Varna – roughly 14% apart. Sofia costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,047 per month in Sofia and $1,791 in Varna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,365 in Sofia and $1,194 in Varna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Varna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varna, where all-in costs run around $1,194, than in Sofia at $1,365. In Varna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sofia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Varna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,194 in Varna to $1,365 in Sofia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Varna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sofia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.