Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Plovdiv Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Plovdiv

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,189 per month in Varna vs $1,102 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Varna vs $1,712 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Varna vs $2,321 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Varna costs about 8% more than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Varna 11% lower, Plovdiv 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$8.70 BGN 14.47

33.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 BGN 77.6

$47.28 BGN 78.7

-1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 BGN 14.43

$8.69 BGN 14.46

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.30

$2.49 BGN 4.15

3.61%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.49 BGN 2.48

22.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$0.91 BGN 1.51

40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.99 BGN 4.97

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.03

$2.93 BGN 4.88

3.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.14

$1.81 BGN 3.02

3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$1.07 BGN 1.78

0.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.06

$2.11 BGN 3.51

15.64%

Eggs

$3.30 BGN 5.48

$3.40 BGN 5.66

-2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BGN 18.30

$11.61 BGN 19.31

-5.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 BGN 14.08

$7.95 BGN 13.22

6.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$12.02 BGN 19.99

2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.50 BGN 2.49

10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.76 BGN 2.93

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.66 BGN 2.76

11.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BGN 4.64

$2.48 BGN 4.12

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.02 BGN 1.70

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.09 BGN 1.82

-5.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.26

$3.61 BGN 6.01

4.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 BGN 15.16

$6.07 BGN 10.11

50.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$1.04 BGN 1.73

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$1.80 BGN 2.99

6.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.60 BGN 1.00

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 BGN 49.84

$28.44 BGN 47.32

5.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$1.16 BGN 1.93

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.17

$0.66 BGN 1.09

7.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.51 BGN 20.80

$10.48 BGN 17.44

19.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.50 BGN 2.50

0.67%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-0.80%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$28.7K BGN 47.8K

-0.21%

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

$125 BGN 208

$97.8 BGN 163

27.56%

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

$19.16 BGN 31.87

$18.10 BGN 30.11

5.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.85 BGN 26.37

$15.31 BGN 25.47

3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 BGN 67.2

$37.70 BGN 62.7

7.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 BGN 24.15

$14.69 BGN 24.44

-1.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 BGN 15.16

$8.96 BGN 14.90

1.67%

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

$400 BGN 666

$425 BGN 706

-5.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,515 BGN 9,174

$7,126 BGN 11.9K

-22.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BGN 100

$61.5 BGN 102

-2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 BGN 55.6

$35.35 BGN 58.8

-5.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$98.1 BGN 163

-5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BGN 167

$106 BGN 176

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 BGN 857

$482 BGN 802

6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 650

$336 BGN 558

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 BGN 1,508

$816 BGN 1,357

11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 BGN 1,075

$609 BGN 1,013

6.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,420 BGN 5,690

$2,299 BGN 3,824

48.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 BGN 3,572

$1,556 BGN 2,589

37.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 BGN 1,989

$1,160 BGN 1,929

3.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.49

4.90%

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

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Varna versus $482 in Plovdiv. 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 3% 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Varna vs $238 in Plovdiv – so Plovdiv wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,189 in Varna, $1,102 in Plovdiv – roughly 8% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,783 per month in Varna and $1,654 in Plovdiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 5% less in Plovdiv. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $400 per month in Varna and $425 in Plovdiv. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Plovdiv, where all-in costs run around $1,102, than in Varna at $1,189. In Plovdiv 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 $1,102 in Plovdiv to $1,189 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 Plovdiv. 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.