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: $1,486 in Varna versus $951 in Popovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,323 in Varna versus $1,421 in Popovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,161 in Varna versus $1,891 in Popovo.

Living in Varna is roughly 56% more expensive than in Popovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varna is 8% above, Popovo is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 BGN 23.67

$8.89 BGN 14.79

60.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 BGN 99.6

$29.11 BGN 48.43

105.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 BGN 17.83

$7.17 BGN 11.93

49.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$1.16 BGN 1.93

156.03%

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

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$0.75 BGN 1.26

161.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$1.62 BGN 2.69

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$2.65 BGN 4.40

9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 BGN 6.16

$4.22 BGN 7.02

-12.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$1.50 BGN 2.50

34.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$1.09 BGN 1.81

17.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 BGN 4.49

$2.23 BGN 3.72

21.08%

Eggs

$3.72 BGN 6.18

$2.78 BGN 4.62

33.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$7.33 BGN 12.20

59.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 BGN 15.56

$8.40 BGN 13.98

11.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 BGN 24.72

$14.53 BGN 24.18

2.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$1.51 BGN 2.51

37.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.46 BGN 2.43

55.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$1.45 BGN 2.42

52.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 BGN 5.31

$2.35 BGN 3.90

35.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.16

$1.08 BGN 1.80

20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.10 BGN 1.82

-1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.21 BGN 2.01

-13.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$0.73 BGN 1.22

17.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$4.06 BGN 6.76

4.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$6.54 BGN 10.88

36.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.12

$0.92 BGN 1.53

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$2.02 BGN 3.37

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 BGN 1.72

$0.88 BGN 1.46

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$25.17 BGN 41.88

17.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BGN 2.62

$0.61 BGN 1.02

159.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$0.61 BGN 1.01

52.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.45 BGN 20.71

$8.28 BGN 13.78

50.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 2.90

$1.61 BGN 2.68

8.70%

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

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

$29.3K BGN 48.8K

7.84%

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

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

$22.9K BGN 38.1K

14.51%

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

$179 BGN 297

$116 BGN 194

53.64%

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

$21.82 BGN 36.30

$19.33 BGN 32.15

12.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$15.98 BGN 26.58

7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 BGN 89.5

$20.41 BGN 33.95

163.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BGN 34.25

$17.61 BGN 29.30

16.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$6.70 BGN 11.14

35.82%

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

$536 BGN 892

$531 BGN 884

0.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

$5,623 BGN 9,355

16.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 BGN 112

$54.5 BGN 90.7

23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 BGN 57.2

$42.38 BGN 70.5

-18.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$71.3 BGN 119

46.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$47.49 BGN 79.0

123.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 BGN 1,059

$347 BGN 577

83.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 BGN 813

$260 BGN 433

87.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 BGN 2,261

$560 BGN 932

142.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 BGN 1,542

$421 BGN 701

119.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 BGN 5,534

$1,369 BGN 2,277

143.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 BGN 3,659

$1,123 BGN 1,868

95.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 BGN 2,158

$1,318 BGN 2,193

-1.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

3.1

-6.45%

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

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Popovo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $636 in Varna and $347 in Popovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Varna vs $29.00 in Popovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $228 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Popovo. 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: $636 in Varna versus $347 in Popovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $60.0 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $951 in Popovo versus $1,486 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 56% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.