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: $1,468 in Varna versus $1,233 in Izmir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,264 in Varna versus $1,935 in Izmir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Varna versus $2,637 in Izmir.

Living in Varna is roughly 19% more expensive than in Izmir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varna is 7% above, Izmir is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.11 BGN 23.47

$10.32 ₺499

36.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 BGN 103

$37.88 ₺1,830

63.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 BGN 17.81

$8.51 ₺411

25.85%

Cappuccino

$2.95 BGN 4.90

$3.69 ₺178

-20.05%

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

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$1.48 ₺71.4

30.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$0.57 ₺27.67

203.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 BGN 4.86

$3.05 ₺147

-4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 BGN 6.32

$5.24 ₺253

-27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BGN 3.29

$1.09 ₺52.7

81.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$0.97 ₺47.07

36.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 BGN 4.42

$2.28 ₺110

16.67%

Eggs

$3.59 BGN 5.97

$2.59 ₺125

38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 BGN 19.94

$9.46 ₺457

26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 BGN 16.11

$5.27 ₺255

83.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 BGN 24.61

$22.47 ₺1,086

-34.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.30

$2.03 ₺98.1

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.77

$2.20 ₺107

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.23 ₺59.6

84.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 BGN 5.15

$1.40 ₺67.5

121.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$0.54 ₺25.85

153.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$0.39 ₺18.64

187.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.16 ₺55.9

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.73 ₺35.42

9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 BGN 7.03

$2.32 ₺112

82.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 BGN 15.12

$11.69 ₺565

-22.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$2.15 ₺104

-44.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.11

$3.16 ₺153

-40.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.71 ₺34.10

60.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.17 BGN 48.53

$42.40 ₺2,048

-31.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$3.63 ₺175

-58.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$1.00 ₺48.49

-9.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.55 BGN 20.87

$5.25 ₺254

139.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.35 ₺65.3

28.15%

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

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

$42.1K ₺2.0M

-26.92%

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

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

$46.8K ₺2.3M

-43.75%

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

$182 BGN 302

$84.9 ₺4,104

114.07%

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

$21.15 BGN 35.19

$10.79 ₺521

96.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$15.87 ₺767

8.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 BGN 90.4

$65.9 ₺3,186

-17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.77 BGN 34.55

$35.80 ₺1,730

-41.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 BGN 15.02

$8.14 ₺393

10.93%

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

$520 BGN 865

$745 ₺36.0K

-30.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

$15.2K ₺733.2K

-56.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 BGN 113

$48.77 ₺2,356

38.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 BGN 58.3

$38.60 ₺1,865

-9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$91.1 ₺4,403

14.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$83.7 ₺4,044

26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 BGN 1,071

$605 ₺29.2K

6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 BGN 799

$428 ₺20.7K

12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 BGN 2,174

$1,161 ₺56.1K

12.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 BGN 1,550

$829 ₺40.0K

12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,351 BGN 5,575

$1,493 ₺72.2K

124.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 BGN 3,684

$1,054 ₺50.9K

110.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 BGN 2,062

$1,137 ₺54.9K

9.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.93

42.33

-93.08%

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

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Last update for Izmir: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Varna and $605 in Izmir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 9% 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: $62.0 in Varna vs $38.00 in Izmir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $254 per month, with Izmir 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

Varna vs Izmir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izmir wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Varna. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Izmir the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $644 in Varna versus $605 in Izmir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,468 per month in Varna versus $1,233 in Izmir – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Izmir runs roughly 45% less than in Varna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Izmir versus $1,468 in Varna, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Izmir but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Izmir the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Izmir delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,233 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Izmir 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 Izmir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.