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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,468 per month in Varna vs $1,255 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,264 per month in Varna vs $1,928 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,059 per month in Varna vs $2,601 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Varna costs about 17% more than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Varna sits 7% above the global median, while Plovdiv is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.11 BGN 23.47

$9.43 BGN 15.69

49.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 BGN 103

$46.81 BGN 77.9

31.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 BGN 17.81

$9.74 BGN 16.21

9.96%

Cappuccino

$2.95 BGN 4.90

$2.97 BGN 4.95

-0.67%

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

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$1.76 BGN 2.93

9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$1.64 BGN 2.73

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 BGN 4.86

$2.72 BGN 4.52

7.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 BGN 6.32

$4.09 BGN 6.80

-7.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BGN 3.29

$1.87 BGN 3.10

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$1.22 BGN 2.02

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 BGN 4.42

$2.24 BGN 3.72

18.75%

Eggs

$3.59 BGN 5.97

$3.78 BGN 6.28

-5.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 BGN 19.94

$12.10 BGN 20.13

-0.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 BGN 16.11

$8.95 BGN 14.90

8.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 BGN 24.61

$14.73 BGN 24.51

0.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.30

$1.78 BGN 2.97

11.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.77

$1.93 BGN 3.21

17.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$2.02 BGN 3.35

12.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 BGN 5.15

$2.63 BGN 4.38

17.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$1.11 BGN 1.85

23.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.14 BGN 1.90

-1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.75 BGN 1.25

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 BGN 7.03

$4.20 BGN 6.99

0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 BGN 15.12

$6.36 BGN 10.57

42.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.23 BGN 2.04

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.11

$2.04 BGN 3.40

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.62 BGN 1.03

83.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.17 BGN 48.53

$30.02 BGN 49.94

-2.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.34 BGN 2.23

13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.67 BGN 1.12

35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.55 BGN 20.87

$10.90 BGN 18.13

15.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.68 BGN 2.79

2.98%

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

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

$31.0K BGN 51.5K

-0.72%

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

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

$25.4K BGN 42.3K

3.46%

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

$182 BGN 302

$119 BGN 197

53.22%

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

$21.15 BGN 35.19

$19.32 BGN 32.14

9.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$16.32 BGN 27.15

5.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 BGN 90.4

$42.57 BGN 70.8

27.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.77 BGN 34.55

$21.66 BGN 36.04

-4.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 BGN 15.02

$9.35 BGN 15.56

-3.42%

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

$520 BGN 865

$536 BGN 891

-3.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

$5,743 BGN 9,554

14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 BGN 113

$70.5 BGN 117

-3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 BGN 58.3

$43.64 BGN 72.6

-19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$102 BGN 170

2.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$109 BGN 182

-3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 BGN 1,071

$546 BGN 908

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 BGN 799

$398 BGN 662

20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 BGN 2,174

$917 BGN 1,525

42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 BGN 1,550

$677 BGN 1,126

37.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,351 BGN 5,575

$2,365 BGN 3,935

41.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 BGN 3,684

$1,619 BGN 2,693

36.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 BGN 2,062

$1,174 BGN 1,954

5.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.93

3.1

-5.48%

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

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $644 in Varna versus $546 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 6% 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 $62.0 in Varna versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $264 – making Plovdiv 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 Plovdiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,468 in Varna, $1,255 in Plovdiv – roughly 17% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,203 per month in Varna and $1,882 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 3% less in Plovdiv. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Varna and $536 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 $1,255, than in Varna at $1,468. 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 $1,255 in Plovdiv to $1,468 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.