Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Popovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Popovo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,189 in Varna versus $891 in Popovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,347 in Popovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Varna versus $1,803 in Popovo.

Living in Varna is roughly 33% more expensive than Popovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Popovo 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$9.01 BGN 14.98

28.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 BGN 77.6

$29.47 BGN 49.02

58.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 BGN 14.43

$6.89 BGN 11.47

25.98%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.30

$1.16 BGN 1.93

122.41%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$0.79 BGN 1.32

130.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$1.42 BGN 2.36

-9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.90 BGN 4.83

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.03

$3.25 BGN 5.41

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.14

$1.10 BGN 1.83

70.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.99 BGN 1.64

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.06

$1.57 BGN 2.61

55.41%

Eggs

$3.30 BGN 5.48

$1.87 BGN 3.11

76.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BGN 18.30

$6.06 BGN 10.07

81.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 BGN 14.08

$8.79 BGN 14.62

-3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$13.23 BGN 22.00

-7.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.15 BGN 1.92

44.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.20 BGN 1.99

77.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.15 BGN 1.91

60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BGN 4.64

$2.21 BGN 3.68

26.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.97 BGN 1.61

22.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.06 BGN 1.76

7.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$0.98 BGN 1.63

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.61 BGN 1.01

14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.26

$3.93 BGN 6.54

-4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 BGN 15.16

$6.14 BGN 10.21

48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$0.90 BGN 1.50

28.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$0.57 BGN 0.95

236.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.92 BGN 1.52

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 BGN 49.84

$26.64 BGN 44.31

12.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$0.61 BGN 1.02

127.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.17

$0.52 BGN 0.86

36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.51 BGN 20.80

$8.29 BGN 13.80

50.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.50 BGN 2.49

0.67%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

8.19%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$22.5K BGN 37.4K

27.67%

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

$125 BGN 208

$116 BGN 194

7.26%

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

$19.16 BGN 31.87

$18.41 BGN 30.62

4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.85 BGN 26.37

$15.34 BGN 25.52

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 BGN 67.2

$29.27 BGN 48.69

37.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 BGN 24.15

$14.53 BGN 24.17

-0.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 BGN 15.16

$7.16 BGN 11.91

27.23%

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

$400 BGN 666

$640 BGN 1,065

-37.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,515 BGN 9,174

$5,441 BGN 9,052

1.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BGN 100

$53.9 BGN 89.7

11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 BGN 55.6

$35.69 BGN 59.4

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$71.7 BGN 119

29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BGN 167

$46.39 BGN 77.2

116.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 BGN 857

$292 BGN 486

76.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 650

$231 BGN 383

69.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 BGN 1,508

$468 BGN 779

93.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 BGN 1,075

$358 BGN 595

80.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,420 BGN 5,690

$1,467 BGN 2,440

133.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 BGN 3,572

$1,215 BGN 2,021

76.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 BGN 1,989

$1,330 BGN 2,212

-10.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

3.09

52.43%

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

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Popovo: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Varna and $292 in Popovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Varna vs $29.00 in Popovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $199 per month, with Popovo cheaper across the board.

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 Popovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Popovo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Popovo earns 11% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Varna versus $292 in Popovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Popovo – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $47.00 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $891 in Popovo versus $1,189 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Popovo but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Popovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Popovo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Varna, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Varna and Popovo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Popovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.