Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Izmir Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Izmir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Varna versus $1,243 in Izmir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,871 in Izmir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Varna versus $2,500 in Izmir.

Living in Varna costs roughly 4% less than in Izmir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Izmir 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$7.97 ₺376

48.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$38.57 ₺1,819

20.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$8.06 ₺380

11.17%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$3.20 ₺151

-19.06%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.41 ₺66.6

24.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$0.52 ₺24.53

144.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$3.80 ₺179

-20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$4.98 ₺235

-42.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.08 ₺51.1

72.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.94 ₺44.45

14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$2.61 ₺123

-3.45%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$2.56 ₺121

31.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$11.48 ₺541

-7.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$6.50 ₺307

29.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$22.03 ₺1,039

-44.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.42 ₺66.9

14.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$2.79 ₺131

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.53 ₺72.3

20.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$1.88 ₺88.7

46.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$0.87 ₺41.00

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.71 ₺33.54

53.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$0.96 ₺45.28

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.63 ₺29.88

17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$2.22 ₺105

68.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$12.15 ₺573

-29.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$2.09 ₺98.6

-47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$3.25 ₺153

-41.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.62 ₺29.23

95.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$31.87 ₺1,503

-6.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$3.14 ₺148

-55.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.60 ₺28.43

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$4.96 ₺234

153.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.17 ₺55.4

29.06%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$44.3K ₺2.1M

-28.20%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$45.3K ₺2.1M

-35.39%

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

$126 BGN 209

$100 ₺4,732

25.34%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$11.45 ₺540

65.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$13.39 ₺632

16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$47.71 ₺2,250

-15.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$17.99 ₺848

-18.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$7.46 ₺352

20.24%

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

$413 BGN 688

$432 ₺20.4K

-4.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$12.5K ₺591.1K

-55.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$51.9 ₺2,446

15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$36.09 ₺1,702

-7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$93.4 ₺4,404

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$112 ₺5,296

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$646 ₺30.5K

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$459 ₺21.7K

-15.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$1,075 ₺50.7K

-16.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$748 ₺35.3K

-15.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,538 ₺72.5K

118.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$1,057 ₺49.8K

101.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$1,133 ₺53.4K

7.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

39.1

-87.95%

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

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Izmir: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Varna and $646 in Izmir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Varna vs $39.00 in Izmir. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $270, with Varna cheaper for home cooking.

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

Varna vs Izmir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varna wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Izmir. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varna the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Varna, 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: $520 in Varna versus $646 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,194 per month in Varna versus $1,243 in Izmir – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Varna runs roughly 7% less than in Izmir. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,194 in Varna versus $1,243 in Izmir, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varna but tight or insufficient in Izmir. The gap between the two cities makes Varna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Varna delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,194 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varna hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Varna and Izmir 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 Varna gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Izmir. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.