Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Sliven Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Sliven

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,189 in Varna versus $761 in Sliven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,207 in Sliven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Varna versus $1,653 in Sliven.

Living in Varna is roughly 56% more expensive than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Sliven 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$8.77 BGN 14.59

32.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 BGN 77.6

$35.75 BGN 59.5

30.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 BGN 14.43

$8.71 BGN 14.49

-0.34%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.30

$1.84 BGN 3.06

40.22%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.27 BGN 2.11

43.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$0.91 BGN 1.51

40.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$1.74 BGN 2.90

65.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.03

$2.29 BGN 3.81

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.14

$1.59 BGN 2.64

18.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.80 BGN 1.33

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.06

$2.21 BGN 3.68

10.41%

Eggs

$3.30 BGN 5.48

$2.15 BGN 3.57

53.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BGN 18.30

$8.08 BGN 13.44

36.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 BGN 14.08

$5.51 BGN 9.16

53.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$6.94 BGN 11.54

76.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.45 BGN 2.40

14.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.72 BGN 2.86

23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.48 BGN 2.47

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BGN 4.64

$2.26 BGN 3.75

23.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.51 BGN 0.85

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$0.90 BGN 1.51

26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.48 BGN 0.79

45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.26

$3.53 BGN 5.87

6.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 BGN 15.16

$6.20 BGN 10.31

47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$1.04 BGN 1.74

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$1.27 BGN 2.12

51.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.74 BGN 1.23

62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 BGN 49.84

$36.12 BGN 60.1

-17.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$1.16 BGN 1.94

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.17

$0.77 BGN 1.29

-7.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.51 BGN 20.80

$8.96 BGN 14.90

39.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.43 BGN 2.37

5.59%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-0.84%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

3.21%

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

$125 BGN 208

$89.0 BGN 148

40.19%

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

$19.16 BGN 31.87

$17.99 BGN 29.94

6.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.85 BGN 26.37

$9.21 BGN 15.33

72.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 BGN 67.2

$23.18 BGN 38.57

74.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 BGN 24.15

$14.92 BGN 24.82

-2.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 BGN 15.16

$6.03 BGN 10.04

51.08%

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

$400 BGN 666

$422 BGN 703

-5.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,515 BGN 9,174

$7,038 BGN 11.7K

-21.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BGN 100

$60.0 BGN 99.8

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 BGN 55.6

$23.21 BGN 38.62

44.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$69.6 BGN 116

33.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BGN 167

$64.6 BGN 107

55.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 BGN 857

$233 BGN 387

121.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 650

$150 BGN 249

161.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 BGN 1,508

$336 BGN 559

169.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 BGN 1,075

$269 BGN 447

140.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,420 BGN 5,690

$1,181 BGN 1,965

189.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 BGN 3,572

$965 BGN 1,605

122.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 BGN 1,989

$1,395 BGN 2,320

-14.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.25

10.82%

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

Last update for Varna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sliven: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Varna and $233 in Sliven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 17% 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 $36.00 in Sliven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $182 per month, with Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sliven is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sliven earns 17% less. 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: $515 in Varna versus $233 in Sliven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $400 in Varna versus $422 in Sliven. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in Sliven versus $1,189 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sliven but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Sliven the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sliven 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 Sliven 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 Sliven 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.