Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,486 in Varna versus $2,268 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,323 in Varna versus $3,348 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,161 in Varna versus $4,429 in Lisbon.

Living in Varna costs roughly 34% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varna 8% above, Lisbon 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 BGN 23.67

$17.55 €15.09

-18.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 BGN 99.6

$64.5 €55.5

-7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 BGN 17.83

$11.65 €10.01

-7.98%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$3.26 €2.80

-8.90%

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

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$2.49 €2.14

-21.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$1.67 €1.44

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$3.47 €2.99

-16.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 BGN 6.16

$3.58 €3.07

3.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$1.18 €1.02

70.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$1.95 €1.67

-34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 BGN 4.49

$1.56 €1.34

73.08%

Eggs

$3.72 BGN 6.18

$4.01 €3.45

-7.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$13.27 €11.41

-12.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 BGN 15.56

$8.42 €7.24

11.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 BGN 24.72

$18.23 €15.68

-18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$2.32 €2.00

-10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.73 €1.49

31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$1.93 €1.66

14.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 BGN 5.31

$2.64 €2.27

20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.16

$1.90 €1.63

-31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$2.11 €1.82

-48.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.44 €1.24

-27.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$0.80 €0.69

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$7.01 €6.03

-39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$5.92 €5.09

51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.12

$1.36 €1.17

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$2.15 €1.85

-9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 BGN 1.72

$2.38 €2.05

-56.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$46.22 €39.74

-36.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BGN 2.62

$4.19 €3.60

-62.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$1.10 €0.94

-15.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.45 BGN 20.71

$17.26 €14.84

-27.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 2.90

$2.25 €1.93

-22.22%

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

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

$34.5K €29.6K

-8.31%

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

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

$41.6K €35.8K

-36.94%

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

$179 BGN 297

$171 €147

4.61%

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

$21.82 BGN 36.30

$19.01 €16.34

14.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$34.28 €29.48

-49.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 BGN 89.5

$49.65 €42.69

8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BGN 34.25

$19.51 €16.77

5.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$10.10 €8.68

-9.90%

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

$536 BGN 892

$699 €601

-23.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

$17.8K €15.3K

-63.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 BGN 112

$105 €89.9

-35.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 BGN 57.2

$47.97 €41.24

-28.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$102 €87.6

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$128 €110

-17.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 BGN 1,059

$1,661 €1,428

-61.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 BGN 813

$1,228 €1,056

-60.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 BGN 2,261

$2,915 €2,506

-53.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 BGN 1,542

$2,023 €1,740

-54.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 BGN 5,534

$8,129 €6,989

-59.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 BGN 3,659

$4,635 €3,985

-52.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 BGN 2,158

$1,619 €1,392

-19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.78

-23.28%

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

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $636 in Varna and $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 25% 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: $60.0 in Varna vs $64.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $281, with Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varna and Lisbon differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,486 vs $2,268 including rent). Varna is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Lisbon. 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: $636 in Varna versus $1,661 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $536 in Varna versus $699 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,486 in Varna versus $2,268 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varna but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Varna the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Varna and Lisbon 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 53% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.