Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Silistra Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Silistra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Varna versus $919 in Silistra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,364 in Silistra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Varna versus $1,809 in Silistra.

Living in Varna is roughly 30% more expensive than in Silistra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$10.72 BGN 17.83

10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$25.59 BGN 42.57

81.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$9.00 BGN 14.97

-0.44%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$1.72 BGN 2.87

50.58%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.17 BGN 1.94

50.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$0.65 BGN 1.08

95.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$1.94 BGN 3.23

55.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.72 BGN 4.53

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.63 BGN 2.71

14.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.95 BGN 1.58

13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$1.87 BGN 3.12

34.76%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$3.31 BGN 5.50

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$9.17 BGN 15.26

15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$7.88 BGN 13.11

6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$11.53 BGN 19.17

6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.93 BGN 3.22

-15.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$2.12 BGN 3.52

1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.51 BGN 4.18

9.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.46 BGN 2.42

-20.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.35 BGN 2.25

-19.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.83 BGN 1.38

-10.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.63 BGN 6.03

3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$5.19 BGN 8.64

66.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.94 BGN 1.56

17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$1.73 BGN 2.88

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.62 BGN 1.03

95.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$26.41 BGN 43.94

12.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.20 BGN 1.99

15.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$6.05 BGN 10.06

107.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.46 BGN 2.43

3.42%

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

$25.6K BGN 42.5K

14.41%

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

$126 BGN 209

$94.8 BGN 158

32.69%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$16.72 BGN 27.82

13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$14.08 BGN 23.42

10.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$31.80 BGN 52.9

27.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$14.54 BGN 24.19

0.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$7.12 BGN 11.84

25.98%

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

$413 BGN 688

$233 BGN 388

77.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$4,159 BGN 6,919

32.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$59.6 BGN 99.1

0.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$29.12 BGN 48.45

15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$71.5 BGN 119

31.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$72.0 BGN 120

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$235 BGN 391

121.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$210 BGN 349

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$339 BGN 564

163.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$258 BGN 430

145.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,389 BGN 2,311

141.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$972 BGN 1,617

119.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$735 BGN 1,223

64.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.57

3.06%

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

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Silistra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Varna and $235 in Silistra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 65% 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: $46.00 in Varna vs $26.00 in Silistra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $231 per month, with Silistra 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 Silistra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varna and Silistra differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,194 vs $919 including rent). Silistra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Varna, 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: $520 in Varna versus $235 in Silistra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Silistra – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $46.00 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $919 in Silistra versus $1,194 in Varna, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Silistra but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Silistra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Varna and Silistra 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 Silistra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.