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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Varna vs $1,068 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Varna vs $1,734 in Plovdiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Varna vs $2,401 in Plovdiv, rent included.

Varna costs about 12% more than Plovdiv, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Varna and Plovdiv are more affordable than the global median – Varna 11% lower, Plovdiv 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$8.72 BGN 14.51

35.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$46.71 BGN 77.7

-0.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$8.43 BGN 14.02

6.29%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$2.51 BGN 4.18

3.19%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.45 BGN 2.41

21.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$0.91 BGN 1.51

39.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$2.99 BGN 4.98

0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.90 BGN 4.82

-0.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.81 BGN 3.01

2.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$1.03 BGN 1.71

4.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$2.13 BGN 3.54

18.31%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$3.32 BGN 5.52

1.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$11.87 BGN 19.75

-10.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$7.51 BGN 12.50

12.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$12.07 BGN 20.08

1.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.58 BGN 2.63

3.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$1.70 BGN 2.83

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.65 BGN 2.75

11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.56 BGN 4.26

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$0.99 BGN 1.64

17.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.12 BGN 1.86

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-5.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.76 BGN 1.26

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.47 BGN 5.76

7.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$5.97 BGN 9.93

44.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.08 BGN 1.80

1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$1.76 BGN 2.93

7.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.56 BGN 0.93

116.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$27.49 BGN 45.73

8.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.16 BGN 1.93

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.65 BGN 1.08

1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$10.58 BGN 17.60

18.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-5.03%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-2.09%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$28.2K BGN 47.0K

3.62%

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

$126 BGN 209

$97.8 BGN 163

28.58%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$17.71 BGN 29.45

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$15.47 BGN 25.74

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$37.09 BGN 61.7

8.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$14.94 BGN 24.85

-2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$9.02 BGN 15.01

-0.55%

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

$413 BGN 688

$429 BGN 713

-3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$6,868 BGN 11.4K

-19.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$60.6 BGN 101

-1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$35.10 BGN 58.4

-4.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$97.9 BGN 163

-4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$107 BGN 178

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$467 BGN 778

11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$344 BGN 572

12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$811 BGN 1,349

10.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$622 BGN 1,035

1.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$2,268 BGN 3,774

48.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$1,521 BGN 2,530

40.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$1,134 BGN 1,887

6.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Plovdiv: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Varna versus $467 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 7% 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 $46.00 in Varna versus $47.00 in Plovdiv. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Varna vs $237 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: $1,194 in Varna, $1,068 in Plovdiv – roughly 12% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Varna and $1,602 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 8% less in Plovdiv. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $413 per month in Varna and $429 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 $1,068, than in Varna at $1,194. 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 $1,068 in Plovdiv to $1,194 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.