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: $1,194 in Varna versus $763 in Sliven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,234 in Sliven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Varna versus $1,706 in Sliven.

Living in Varna is roughly 57% more expensive than in Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$8.96 BGN 14.91

32.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$35.15 BGN 58.5

32.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$8.81 BGN 14.65

1.70%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$1.93 BGN 3.20

34.20%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.32 BGN 2.20

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$0.88 BGN 1.46

44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$1.82 BGN 3.02

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.34 BGN 3.89

23.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.57 BGN 2.61

18.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.84 BGN 1.40

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$2.19 BGN 3.65

15.07%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$2.25 BGN 3.74

49.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$8.02 BGN 13.35

32.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$5.49 BGN 9.13

53.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$6.96 BGN 11.59

76.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.49 BGN 2.48

9.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$1.70 BGN 2.83

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.43 BGN 2.37

28.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.21 BGN 3.68

24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$0.52 BGN 0.87

123.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.89 BGN 1.48

22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.49 BGN 0.81

51.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.60 BGN 5.98

3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$6.08 BGN 10.12

41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.07 BGN 1.78

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$1.28 BGN 2.14

47.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.69 BGN 1.14

75.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$36.52 BGN 60.8

-18.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.15 BGN 1.91

20.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.74 BGN 1.23

-10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$8.59 BGN 14.29

46.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.50 BGN 2.49

0.67%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

-2.93%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$28.0K BGN 46.5K

4.56%

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

$126 BGN 209

$86.8 BGN 144

44.88%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$17.78 BGN 29.57

6.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$9.46 BGN 15.73

64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$23.71 BGN 39.44

70.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$14.85 BGN 24.71

-1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$5.95 BGN 9.89

50.76%

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

$413 BGN 688

$430 BGN 715

-3.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$7,076 BGN 11.8K

-21.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$58.9 BGN 98.0

1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$23.14 BGN 38.50

44.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$71.2 BGN 118

31.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$62.2 BGN 104

58.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$239 BGN 398

117.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$145 BGN 241

167.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$340 BGN 565

163.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$267 BGN 444

137.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,159 BGN 1,929

189.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$954 BGN 1,587

123.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$1,329 BGN 2,211

-8.78%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sliven: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Varna and $239 in Sliven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Varna vs $35.00 in Sliven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 10% 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: $520 in Varna versus $239 in Sliven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $413 in Varna versus $430 in Sliven. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $763 in Sliven versus $1,194 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 57% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.