Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Varanasi: $289 a month against $956 in Bansko, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

14

Cost of Living Index in Varanasi
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Varanasi Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Bansko
Learn more

Bansko Living Index

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Varanasi

🇮🇳 India

$289

/mo nomad

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Varanasi and in Bansko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Varanasi and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $289 per month in Varanasi vs $956 in Bansko, rent included.

Varanasi $289
Bansko $956

A couple spends around $476 per month in Varanasi vs $1,467 in Bansko, rent included.

Varanasi $476
Bansko $1,467

A family of three spends $663 per month in Varanasi vs $1,979 in Bansko, rent included.

Varanasi $663
Bansko $1,979

Varanasi is about 70% cheaper than Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Varanasi and Bansko are more affordable than the global median – Varanasi 79% lower, Bansko 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 ₹173

$8.66 BGN 15.06

-78.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.99 ₹759

$44.94 BGN 78.2

-82.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.10 ₹295

$8.78 BGN 15.28

-64.69%

Cappuccino

$1.57 ₹149

$2.33 BGN 4.05

-32.62%

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

$0.41 ₹39.31

$1.57 BGN 2.74

-73.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 ₹10.47

$0.82 BGN 1.43

-86.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 ₹152

$1.68 BGN 2.92

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹194

$1.98 BGN 3.45

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.5

$1.73 BGN 3.00

-64.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 ₹29.90

$0.80 BGN 1.40

-61.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$1.44 BGN 2.51

-63.19%

Eggs

$0.81 ₹77.3

$2.36 BGN 4.10

-65.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.20 ₹304

$9.39 BGN 16.34

-65.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.19 ₹208

$6.41 BGN 11.15

-65.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 BGN 14.76

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 ₹133

$1.31 BGN 2.28

6.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$1.62 BGN 2.82

-62.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 ₹82.7

$1.73 BGN 3.01

-49.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.32 ₹30.20

$1.94 BGN 3.38

-83.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.23 ₹21.68

$0.94 BGN 1.63

-75.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.25 ₹23.77

$0.76 BGN 1.32

-67.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹42.08

$0.55 BGN 0.95

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.68

$0.59 BGN 1.02

-52.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ₹303

$3.25 BGN 5.66

-1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ₹553

$5.20 BGN 9.05

12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₹150

$1.09 BGN 1.89

44.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₹178

$1.68 BGN 2.92

11.31%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.19 ₹398

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹50.7

$0.84 BGN 1.45

-36.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.63 ₹914

$27.06 BGN 47.09

-64.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.26 ₹24.88

$1.34 BGN 2.34

-80.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.10 ₹9.62

$0.65 BGN 1.14

-84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹96.9

$10.06 BGN 17.51

-89.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₹100

$1.48 BGN 2.57

-29.05%

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

$12.5K ₹1.2M

$29.1K BGN 50.7K

-57.04%

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

$21.8K ₹2.1M

$20.9K BGN 36.4K

4.16%

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

$12.47 ₹1,185

$92.4 BGN 161

-86.51%

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

$3.66 ₹348

$14.52 BGN 25.26

-74.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.98 ₹663

$12.32 BGN 21.43

-43.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.63 ₹1,199

$31.70 BGN 55.2

-60.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.53 BGN 14.84

Cinema Ticket

$2.86 ₹271

$5.62 BGN 9.78

-49.11%

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

$38.92 ₹3,696

$230 BGN 401

-83.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,003 ₹95.2K

$2,268 BGN 3,947

-55.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.70 ₹2,156

$30.10 BGN 52.4

-24.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 ₹2,403

$19.62 BGN 34.13

28.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.80 ₹3,589

$45.86 BGN 79.8

-17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.24 ₹2,397

$47.69 BGN 83.0

-47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 ₹10.5K

$518 BGN 902

-78.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$47.37 ₹4,499

$357 BGN 621

-86.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 ₹18.6K

$614 BGN 1,069

-68.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₹13.3K

$569 BGN 990

-75.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$569 ₹54.0K

$1,191 BGN 2,073

-52.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$333 ₹31.6K

$959 BGN 1,669

-65.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$578 ₹54.9K

$1,704 BGN 2,965

-66.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.53

2.99

185.28%

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

Last update for Varanasi: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Varanasi

$81 27.9%

Bansko

$192 20.1% 138% $111

Eating Out

Varanasi

$57 19.7%

Bansko

$145 15.2% 156% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Varanasi

$50 17.3%

Bansko

$64 6.7% 29% $15

Accommodation & Living

Varanasi

$47 16.4%

Bansko

$357 37.3% 654% $310

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Varanasi

$23 8%

Bansko

$119 12.5% 416% $96

Sport & Entertainment

Varanasi

$18 6.4%

Bansko

$43 4.5% 134% $25

Getting Around

Varanasi

$13 4.3%

Bansko

$35 3.7% 180% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Varanasi versus $518 in Bansko. 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 195% higher in Bansko, 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 $8.00 in Varanasi versus $45.00 in Bansko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $81.0 vs $192 – making Varanasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Varanasi

🇧🇬 Bansko

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

23:43 11:43 PM

2 h 30 min behind Varanasi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,100,000

8,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Varanasi Bansko 5,690 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Varanasi
Bansko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Varanasi vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $289 in Varanasi, $956 in Bansko – roughly 231% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $433 per month in Varanasi and $1,434 in Bansko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Varanasi and $45.00 in Bansko. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $289 in Varanasi and $956 in Bansko. That's a gap of about 231%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Varanasi, where all-in costs run around $289, than in Bansko at $956. In Varanasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bansko it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Bansko has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $289 in Varanasi to $956 in Bansko. 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 Varanasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bansko makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.