Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Ruse Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Ruse

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,189 in Varna versus $919 in Ruse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,450 in Ruse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Varna versus $1,982 in Ruse.

Living in Varna is roughly 29% more expensive than Ruse, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Ruse 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$10.66 BGN 17.73

8.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 BGN 77.6

$35.69 BGN 59.4

30.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 BGN 14.43

$7.94 BGN 13.21

9.32%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.30

$1.68 BGN 2.79

53.57%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.50 BGN 2.49

21.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$0.84 BGN 1.40

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$1.81 BGN 3.00

59.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.03

$2.88 BGN 4.80

4.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.14

$1.73 BGN 2.88

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.98 BGN 1.63

10.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.06

$2.07 BGN 3.44

17.87%

Eggs

$3.30 BGN 5.48

$2.73 BGN 4.54

20.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BGN 18.30

$9.46 BGN 15.73

16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 BGN 14.08

$8.15 BGN 13.56

3.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$12.98 BGN 21.59

-5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.45 BGN 2.41

14.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.89 BGN 3.15

12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.93 BGN 3.21

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BGN 4.64

$2.07 BGN 3.45

34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.15 BGN 1.92

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.05 BGN 1.75

8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.68 BGN 1.13

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.26

$3.60 BGN 5.98

4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 BGN 15.16

$5.98 BGN 9.95

52.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$1.04 BGN 1.73

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$1.17 BGN 1.94

64.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.92 BGN 1.53

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 BGN 49.84

$16.14 BGN 26.86

85.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$1.44 BGN 2.40

-3.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.17

$0.65 BGN 1.07

9.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.51 BGN 20.80

$10.24 BGN 17.03

22.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.49 BGN 2.47

1.34%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$32.1K BGN 53.4K

-1.31%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$28.6K BGN 47.6K

0.20%

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

$125 BGN 208

$99.9 BGN 166

24.94%

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

$19.16 BGN 31.87

$17.56 BGN 29.22

9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.85 BGN 26.37

$15.00 BGN 24.95

5.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 BGN 67.2

$32.07 BGN 53.4

25.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 BGN 24.15

$9.08 BGN 15.11

59.91%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 BGN 15.16

$5.99 BGN 9.96

52.09%

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

$400 BGN 666

$637 BGN 1,060

-37.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,515 BGN 9,174

$9,043 BGN 15.0K

-39.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BGN 100

$54.0 BGN 89.8

11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 BGN 55.6

$29.70 BGN 49.41

12.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$73.7 BGN 123

25.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BGN 167

$86.8 BGN 144

15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 BGN 857

$290 BGN 482

77.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 650

$238 BGN 396

64.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 BGN 1,508

$531 BGN 883

70.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 BGN 1,075

$414 BGN 688

56.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,420 BGN 5,690

$1,651 BGN 2,746

107.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 BGN 3,572

$1,186 BGN 1,973

81.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 BGN 1,989

$977 BGN 1,626

22.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

3.1

51.94%

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

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ruse: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Varna and $290 in Ruse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Varna vs $36.00 in Ruse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $229 per month, with Ruse 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 Ruse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruse wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Varna. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ruse the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Varna pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $515 in Varna versus $290 in Ruse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ruse runs roughly 86% less than in Varna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $400 in Varna versus $637 in Ruse. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $919 in Ruse versus $1,189 in Varna, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ruse but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Ruse the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ruse delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $919 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ruse hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Varna and Ruse 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 Ruse gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.