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: $1,486 in Varna versus $814 in Sliven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,323 in Varna versus $1,284 in Sliven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,161 in Varna versus $1,754 in Sliven.

Living in Varna is roughly 83% more expensive than in Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varna is 8% above, Sliven is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.23 BGN 23.67

$11.94 BGN 19.86

19.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 BGN 99.6

$35.86 BGN 59.7

66.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.72 BGN 17.83

$10.48 BGN 17.43

2.29%

Cappuccino

$2.97 BGN 4.94

$1.93 BGN 3.21

53.89%

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

$1.96 BGN 3.27

$1.28 BGN 2.12

53.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BGN 2.79

$0.91 BGN 1.51

83.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 BGN 4.80

$1.74 BGN 2.89

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 BGN 6.16

$2.32 BGN 3.86

59.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$1.59 BGN 2.65

26.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BGN 2.14

$0.79 BGN 1.32

62.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 BGN 4.49

$2.81 BGN 4.68

-3.91%

Eggs

$3.72 BGN 6.18

$2.24 BGN 3.73

66.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.67 BGN 19.42

$8.08 BGN 13.44

44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.35 BGN 15.56

$5.58 BGN 9.29

67.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 BGN 24.72

$6.66 BGN 11.08

123.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.45

$1.53 BGN 2.55

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 BGN 3.78

$1.66 BGN 2.77

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 BGN 3.68

$1.45 BGN 2.41

52.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 BGN 5.31

$2.20 BGN 3.66

45.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 BGN 2.16

$0.51 BGN 0.85

154.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$0.86 BGN 1.43

25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$1.09 BGN 1.81

-3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BGN 1.43

$0.49 BGN 0.81

75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 BGN 7.06

$3.64 BGN 6.05

16.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 BGN 14.87

$6.36 BGN 10.59

40.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.12

$1.10 BGN 1.83

16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 BGN 3.24

$1.35 BGN 2.24

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 BGN 1.72

$0.68 BGN 1.13

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 BGN 48.99

$37.20 BGN 61.9

-20.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 BGN 2.62

$1.21 BGN 2.02

30.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$0.60 BGN 1.00

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.45 BGN 20.71

$8.66 BGN 14.41

43.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 2.90

$1.55 BGN 2.57

12.90%

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

$31.6K BGN 52.6K

$30.8K BGN 51.2K

2.67%

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

$26.2K BGN 43.7K

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

12.75%

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

$179 BGN 297

$87.8 BGN 146

103.70%

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

$21.82 BGN 36.30

$21.17 BGN 35.21

3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.25 BGN 28.70

$9.25 BGN 15.39

86.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 BGN 89.5

$24.00 BGN 39.93

124.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BGN 34.25

Cinema Ticket

$9.10 BGN 15.14

$5.97 BGN 9.92

52.43%

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

$536 BGN 892

$529 BGN 880

1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,573 BGN 10.9K

$6,434 BGN 10.7K

2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.2 BGN 112

$58.8 BGN 97.8

14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 BGN 57.2

$24.13 BGN 40.14

42.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 BGN 173

$71.5 BGN 119

45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$64.8 BGN 108

63.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 BGN 1,059

$235 BGN 392

170.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 BGN 813

$146 BGN 243

235.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 BGN 2,261

$340 BGN 565

300.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 BGN 1,542

$269 BGN 447

244.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,327 BGN 5,534

$1,174 BGN 1,954

183.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 BGN 3,659

$966 BGN 1,607

127.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,297 BGN 2,158

$1,383 BGN 2,301

-6.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.9

2.87

1.05%

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

Last update for Varna: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sliven: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $636 in Varna and $235 in Sliven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Varna vs $36.00 in Sliven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $185 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Sliven. 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: $636 in Varna versus $235 in Sliven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $536 in Varna versus $529 in Sliven. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $814 in Sliven versus $1,486 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 83% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.