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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,441 per month in Varna vs $897 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Varna vs $1,433 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,179 per month in Varna vs $1,969 in Pleven, rent included.

Varna costs about 61% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varna sits 5% above the global median, while Pleven is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.06 BGN 23.39

$8.64 BGN 14.37

62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 BGN 101

$30.49 BGN 50.7

98.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 BGN 17.85

$6.49 BGN 10.80

65.33%

Cappuccino

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$2.25 BGN 3.74

30.22%

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

$1.88 BGN 3.12

$1.37 BGN 2.29

37.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.15 BGN 1.91

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$2.20 BGN 3.65

36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 BGN 6.27

$2.30 BGN 3.83

63.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$1.64 BGN 2.72

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 BGN 2.07

$1.20 BGN 1.99

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.59

$1.80 BGN 3.00

53.33%

Eggs

$3.61 BGN 6.00

$3.58 BGN 5.96

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 BGN 19.47

$9.44 BGN 15.70

23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 BGN 15.38

$8.28 BGN 13.78

11.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 BGN 24.69

$14.39 BGN 23.94

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 BGN 3.27

$1.33 BGN 2.21

48.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 BGN 3.60

$2.01 BGN 3.35

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 BGN 3.81

$2.18 BGN 3.63

5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 BGN 5.27

$2.42 BGN 4.02

30.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 BGN 2.24

$1.27 BGN 2.11

6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.87

$1.12 BGN 1.87

0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 BGN 1.30

$0.76 BGN 1.27

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 BGN 6.83

$3.74 BGN 6.22

9.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 BGN 14.72

$6.62 BGN 11.01

33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$0.84 BGN 1.40

44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.05

$1.22 BGN 2.04

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 BGN 1.77

$0.92 BGN 1.53

15.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 BGN 49.90

$40.92 BGN 68.1

-26.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.57 BGN 2.61

5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 BGN 1.46

$0.93 BGN 1.54

-5.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.90

$12.29 BGN 20.45

2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 BGN 2.89

$1.55 BGN 2.58

12.26%

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

$30.8K BGN 51.3K

$31.4K BGN 52.2K

-1.84%

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

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

$26.5K BGN 44.0K

-0.56%

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

$179 BGN 298

$98.4 BGN 164

81.76%

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

$21.16 BGN 35.21

$16.47 BGN 27.40

28.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 BGN 28.98

$11.21 BGN 18.65

55.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 BGN 89.1

$33.09 BGN 55.0

61.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.73 BGN 34.49

$24.92 BGN 41.45

-16.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 BGN 14.95

$8.78 BGN 14.61

2.28%

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

$517 BGN 859

$527 BGN 877

-1.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,405 BGN 10.7K

$6,471 BGN 10.8K

-1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 BGN 110

$42.41 BGN 70.6

56.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 BGN 58.3

$29.67 BGN 49.37

18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 BGN 174

$97.6 BGN 162

7.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 BGN 175

$104 BGN 173

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 BGN 1,080

$352 BGN 585

84.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 BGN 809

$179 BGN 297

172.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 BGN 2,263

$585 BGN 974

132.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 BGN 1,552

$340 BGN 566

174.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,250 BGN 5,407

$1,478 BGN 2,459

119.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,145 BGN 3,569

$1,150 BGN 1,914

86.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,272 BGN 2,116

$943 BGN 1,568

34.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

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

Last update for Varna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pleven: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $649 in Varna versus $352 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 35% 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 $60.0 in Varna versus $30.00 in Pleven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $242 – 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: $1,441 in Varna, $897 in Pleven – roughly 61% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,162 per month in Varna and $1,346 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 15% 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 $60.0 in Varna and $30.00 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 $897, than in Varna at $1,441. 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 $897 in Pleven to $1,441 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.