Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Pleven Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Pleven

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Varna vs $825 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Varna vs $1,299 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,545 per month in Varna vs $1,772 in Pleven, rent included.

Varna costs about 45% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Varna 11% lower, Pleven 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 BGN 19.76

$8.73 BGN 14.59

35.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.05 BGN 80.2

$31.18 BGN 52.1

54.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 BGN 15.17

$6.53 BGN 10.91

39.05%

Cappuccino

$2.52 BGN 4.21

$1.86 BGN 3.11

35.48%

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

$1.75 BGN 2.92

$1.34 BGN 2.23

30.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 BGN 2.23

$0.69 BGN 1.15

94.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 BGN 5.04

$1.16 BGN 1.93

160.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.81

$2.12 BGN 3.54

35.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 BGN 3.12

$1.52 BGN 2.53

23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$0.77 BGN 1.29

40.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 BGN 4.24

$1.49 BGN 2.49

70.47%

Eggs

$3.32 BGN 5.54

$2.19 BGN 3.67

51.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.96 BGN 18.31

$8.82 BGN 14.74

24.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.13 BGN 13.57

$7.59 BGN 12.67

7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 BGN 20.40

$8.80 BGN 14.70

38.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$1.29 BGN 2.15

29.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.72 BGN 2.88

18.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 BGN 3.00

$1.88 BGN 3.13

-4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 BGN 4.48

$2.17 BGN 3.62

23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BGN 1.92

$1.00 BGN 1.67

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.91

$0.81 BGN 1.35

40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$0.62 BGN 1.03

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.70 BGN 1.17

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 BGN 6.42

$3.60 BGN 6.01

6.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 BGN 12.75

$6.66 BGN 11.12

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$0.79 BGN 1.32

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.23 BGN 2.06

49.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 BGN 1.91

$0.86 BGN 1.43

33.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.53 BGN 49.32

$41.83 BGN 69.9

-29.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 BGN 2.25

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-2.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 BGN 1.11

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.27 BGN 20.49

$11.60 BGN 19.37

5.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BGN 2.57

$1.54 BGN 2.56

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

$32.9K BGN 54.9K

$25.2K BGN 42.2K

30.16%

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

$28.8K BGN 48.2K

$17.9K BGN 29.9K

61.12%

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

$124 BGN 207

$98.8 BGN 165

25.18%

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

$18.70 BGN 31.23

$14.84 BGN 24.78

26.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.83 BGN 26.43

$11.04 BGN 18.43

43.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.64 BGN 67.9

$26.09 BGN 43.57

55.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 BGN 24.21

$15.06 BGN 25.15

-3.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.61 BGN 14.37

$8.04 BGN 13.43

7.09%

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

$412 BGN 688

$236 BGN 395

74.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,541 BGN 9,254

$2,395 BGN 3,999

131.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 BGN 104

$37.81 BGN 63.2

64.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.87 BGN 56.6

$19.40 BGN 32.39

74.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 BGN 153

$75.9 BGN 127

20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 170

$74.9 BGN 125

35.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 BGN 846

$350 BGN 584

44.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 BGN 652

$179 BGN 299

118.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 BGN 1,495

$584 BGN 975

53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 BGN 1,067

$338 BGN 564

89.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,152 BGN 5,264

$1,477 BGN 2,466

113.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,018 BGN 3,371

$1,183 BGN 1,975

70.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 BGN 2,040

$970 BGN 1,621

25.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

3.4

38.53%

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

Last update for Varna: April 26, 2026

Last update for Pleven: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Varna versus $350 in Pleven. 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 26% higher in Varna, 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 $48.00 in Varna versus $31.00 in Pleven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $199 – making Pleven 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

Varna vs Pleven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,197 in Varna, $825 in Pleven – roughly 45% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,795 per month in Varna and $1,238 in Pleven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Varna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Varna and $31.00 in Pleven. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pleven, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Varna at $1,197. In Pleven it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna 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 $825 in Pleven to $1,197 in Varna. 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 Pleven. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.