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: $1,468 in Varna versus $891 in Silistra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,264 in Varna versus $1,265 in Silistra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,059 in Varna versus $1,639 in Silistra.

Living in Varna is roughly 65% more expensive than in Silistra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varna is 7% above, Silistra is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.11 BGN 23.47

$10.77 BGN 17.92

31.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 BGN 103

$26.00 BGN 43.25

137.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.71 BGN 17.81

$9.51 BGN 15.82

12.62%

Cappuccino

$2.95 BGN 4.90

$1.76 BGN 2.92

67.61%

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

$1.93 BGN 3.21

$1.18 BGN 1.96

63.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 BGN 2.87

$0.84 BGN 1.39

105.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 BGN 4.86

$1.87 BGN 3.11

56.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 BGN 6.32

$2.03 BGN 3.37

87.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BGN 3.29

$1.80 BGN 2.99

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 BGN 2.19

$0.88 BGN 1.47

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 BGN 4.42

$1.49 BGN 2.47

78.52%

Eggs

$3.59 BGN 5.97

$2.42 BGN 4.03

48.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 BGN 19.94

$9.55 BGN 15.89

25.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 BGN 16.11

$6.61 BGN 11.00

46.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 BGN 24.61

$8.73 BGN 14.52

69.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 BGN 3.30

$1.32 BGN 2.20

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.77

$1.78 BGN 2.96

27.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.75 BGN 2.92

29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 BGN 5.15

$2.05 BGN 3.41

51.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$1.00 BGN 1.66

37.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$0.74 BGN 1.23

51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 BGN 1.76

$0.61 BGN 1.02

73.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.68 BGN 1.14

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 BGN 7.03

$3.85 BGN 6.40

9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 BGN 15.12

$5.37 BGN 8.93

69.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.13 BGN 1.88

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BGN 3.11

$1.74 BGN 2.90

7.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.92 BGN 1.53

23.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.17 BGN 48.53

$26.50 BGN 44.09

10.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 BGN 2.53

$1.16 BGN 1.93

31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.67 BGN 1.12

35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.55 BGN 20.87

$6.00 BGN 9.99

109.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 BGN 2.89

$1.49 BGN 2.48

16.11%

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

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

$31.3K BGN 52.0K

-1.63%

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

$26.3K BGN 43.8K

$21.5K BGN 35.8K

22.19%

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

$182 BGN 302

$96.8 BGN 161

87.80%

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

$21.15 BGN 35.19

$15.34 BGN 25.53

37.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$12.47 BGN 20.75

38.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 BGN 90.4

$32.39 BGN 53.9

67.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.77 BGN 34.55

$18.14 BGN 30.17

14.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 BGN 15.02

$7.01 BGN 11.65

28.82%

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

$520 BGN 865

$236 BGN 393

120.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,550 BGN 10.9K

$2,403 BGN 3,998

172.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 BGN 113

$31.03 BGN 51.6

118.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 BGN 58.3

$19.83 BGN 32.99

76.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$66.9 BGN 111

55.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$53.3 BGN 88.7

98.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 BGN 1,071

$351 BGN 584

83.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 BGN 799

$261 BGN 434

84.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 BGN 2,174

$351 BGN 584

272.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 BGN 1,550

$255 BGN 424

265.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,351 BGN 5,575

$1,333 BGN 2,217

151.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,215 BGN 3,684

$1,227 BGN 2,042

80.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,240 BGN 2,062

$738 BGN 1,228

67.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.93

2.99

-2.01%

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

Last update for Varna: August 30, 2026

Last update for Silistra: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Varna and $351 in Silistra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 68% 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: $62.0 in Varna vs $26.00 in Silistra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $200 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,468 vs $891 including rent). Silistra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 68% 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: $644 in Varna versus $351 in Silistra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $62.0 in Varna. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $891 in Silistra versus $1,468 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 65% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.