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: $1,223 in Varna versus $877 in Popovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,849 in Varna versus $1,324 in Popovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,476 in Varna versus $1,772 in Popovo.

Living in Varna is roughly 39% more expensive than in Popovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 8% lower, Popovo 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 BGN 19.45

$9.00 BGN 14.97

29.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.30 BGN 78.7

$30.08 BGN 50.0

57.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 BGN 15.09

$6.97 BGN 11.59

30.13%

Cappuccino

$2.47 BGN 4.12

$1.21 BGN 2.02

104.13%

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

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$0.74 BGN 1.23

133.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$1.40 BGN 2.34

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$2.98 BGN 4.95

-3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$3.17 BGN 5.27

-7.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.11 BGN 1.85

61.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.05

$1.58 BGN 2.62

54.43%

Eggs

$3.44 BGN 5.73

$1.83 BGN 3.04

87.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 BGN 17.95

$6.01 BGN 10.01

79.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 BGN 13.47

$8.36 BGN 13.90

-3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$13.04 BGN 21.69

-5.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 BGN 2.80

$1.16 BGN 1.92

45.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.16 BGN 1.93

75.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.10

$1.16 BGN 1.93

61.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 BGN 4.54

$2.13 BGN 3.55

28.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.90 BGN 1.49

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.89

$1.01 BGN 1.68

12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 BGN 1.66

$0.92 BGN 1.53

8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.23

$0.65 BGN 1.08

13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.22

$3.72 BGN 6.19

0.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 BGN 14.44

$6.21 BGN 10.33

39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BGN 1.85

$0.91 BGN 1.51

21.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$0.61 BGN 1.02

213.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$0.89 BGN 1.48

30.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.23 BGN 48.62

$26.05 BGN 43.34

12.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 BGN 2.25

$0.56 BGN 0.94

141.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 BGN 1.19

$0.51 BGN 0.85

41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 BGN 20.67

$8.18 BGN 13.61

51.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.56 BGN 2.59

-3.85%

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

$32.3K BGN 53.8K

$29.8K BGN 49.5K

8.64%

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

$29.5K BGN 49.1K

$22.2K BGN 36.9K

32.89%

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

$124 BGN 207

$118 BGN 196

5.48%

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

$18.60 BGN 30.94

$17.96 BGN 29.88

3.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.89 BGN 26.43

$15.20 BGN 25.28

4.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 BGN 69.3

$30.02 BGN 49.94

38.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 BGN 24.70

$14.60 BGN 24.29

1.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$7.15 BGN 11.89

25.03%

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

$413 BGN 687

$624 BGN 1,038

-33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,503 BGN 9,156

$5,422 BGN 9,019

1.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 BGN 100

$53.1 BGN 88.3

13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.21 BGN 55.3

$36.45 BGN 60.6

-8.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$71.2 BGN 118

30.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 BGN 170

$46.97 BGN 78.1

116.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 BGN 848

$292 BGN 485

74.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 BGN 647

$234 BGN 389

66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 BGN 1,485

$479 BGN 796

86.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 BGN 1,082

$351 BGN 584

85.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,269 BGN 5,438

$1,196 BGN 1,989

173.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,167 BGN 3,606

$980 BGN 1,631

121.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,207 BGN 2,008

$1,279 BGN 2,127

-5.59%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Popovo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $510 in Varna and $292 in Popovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Popovo pays 6% 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 $30.00 in Popovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $196 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% 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: $510 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 $30.00 versus $47.00 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $877 in Popovo versus $1,223 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 39% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.