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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Varna vs $814 in Pleven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,870 per month in Varna vs $1,280 in Pleven, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,533 per month in Varna vs $1,745 in Pleven, rent included.

Varna costs about 48% more than Pleven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Varna and Pleven are more affordable than the global median – Varna 9% lower, Pleven 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 BGN 19.48

$8.88 BGN 14.76

31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 BGN 77.5

$30.99 BGN 51.6

50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 BGN 14.68

$6.62 BGN 11.02

33.23%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.29

$1.89 BGN 3.15

36.51%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.92

$1.29 BGN 2.14

36.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.11

$0.69 BGN 1.15

84.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 BGN 4.85

$1.16 BGN 1.92

151.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 BGN 4.77

$2.02 BGN 3.36

42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.49 BGN 2.48

24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 BGN 1.70

$0.79 BGN 1.31

29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 BGN 4.10

$1.47 BGN 2.45

68.03%

Eggs

$3.38 BGN 5.62

$2.20 BGN 3.66

53.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 BGN 17.91

$8.93 BGN 14.85

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.41 BGN 14.00

$7.28 BGN 12.12

15.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 BGN 20.56

$8.92 BGN 14.84

38.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.31 BGN 2.18

26.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 BGN 3.47

$1.69 BGN 2.81

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.06

$1.86 BGN 3.10

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 BGN 4.43

$2.12 BGN 3.52

25.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.01 BGN 1.68

14.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.87 BGN 1.44

25.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.72

$0.61 BGN 1.01

68.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.18

$0.70 BGN 1.17

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 BGN 6.31

$3.66 BGN 6.08

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 BGN 14.72

$6.46 BGN 10.75

37.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.80 BGN 1.33

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$1.23 BGN 2.04

55.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$0.92 BGN 1.53

31.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.44 BGN 48.98

$40.80 BGN 67.9

-27.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 BGN 2.33

$1.33 BGN 2.21

5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 BGN 1.12

$0.67 BGN 1.11

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.19 BGN 20.27

$11.67 BGN 19.41

4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$1.48 BGN 2.46

1.35%

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

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

29.98%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$17.8K BGN 29.6K

61.48%

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

$125 BGN 209

$101 BGN 168

24.20%

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

$19.00 BGN 31.61

$14.83 BGN 24.67

28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.50 BGN 25.79

$11.07 BGN 18.42

40.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 BGN 68.6

$26.21 BGN 43.61

57.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 BGN 24.69

Cinema Ticket

$8.73 BGN 14.53

$7.73 BGN 12.86

12.94%

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

$413 BGN 687

$235 BGN 390

75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,422 BGN 9,019

$2,334 BGN 3,883

132.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.5

$38.14 BGN 63.4

56.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 BGN 55.3

$19.03 BGN 31.66

74.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 BGN 151

$77.7 BGN 129

16.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 BGN 164

$75.9 BGN 126

29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 BGN 855

$344 BGN 572

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 BGN 651

$174 BGN 290

124.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,486

$595 BGN 989

50.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 BGN 1,085

$336 BGN 559

94.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 BGN 5,438

$1,481 BGN 2,465

120.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,115 BGN 3,519

$1,145 BGN 1,905

84.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,200 BGN 1,996

$954 BGN 1,587

25.74%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Pleven: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Varna versus $344 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 $47.00 in Varna versus $31.00 in Pleven. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $197 – 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: $1,207 in Varna, $814 in Pleven – roughly 48% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Varna and $1,221 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 27% 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 $47.00 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 $814, than in Varna at $1,207. 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 $814 in Pleven to $1,207 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.