Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Smolyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Smolyan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Varna versus $758 in Smolyan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,193 in Smolyan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Varna versus $1,629 in Smolyan.

Living in Varna is roughly 58% more expensive than in Smolyan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$6.46 BGN 10.75

83.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$37.67 BGN 62.7

23.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$5.95 BGN 9.91

50.59%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$1.31 BGN 2.17

97.71%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.37 BGN 2.27

28.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$1.01 BGN 1.68

25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$1.74 BGN 2.90

72.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.14 BGN 3.57

34.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.73 BGN 2.88

7.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.96 BGN 1.60

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$1.74 BGN 2.89

44.83%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$3.58 BGN 5.95

-5.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$10.64 BGN 17.70

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$5.86 BGN 9.75

43.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$9.05 BGN 15.05

35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.19 BGN 1.98

36.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$1.74 BGN 2.89

23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.21 BGN 2.02

52.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.43 BGN 4.04

13.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.21 BGN 2.02

-4.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.36 BGN 2.26

-19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.57 BGN 0.96

29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.45 BGN 5.75

8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$5.93 BGN 9.86

45.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$0.57 BGN 0.95

92.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$1.69 BGN 2.82

11.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.97 BGN 1.62

24.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$33.56 BGN 55.8

-11.29%

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

$0.51 BGN 0.85

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$11.67 BGN 19.42

7.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.50 BGN 2.50

0.67%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$23.7K BGN 39.4K

34.39%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$24.8K BGN 41.2K

18.14%

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

$126 BGN 209

$119 BGN 198

5.80%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$16.08 BGN 26.75

17.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$9.35 BGN 15.55

66.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$22.67 BGN 37.71

78.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$14.61 BGN 24.31

-0.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$6.96 BGN 11.58

28.88%

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

$413 BGN 688

$329 BGN 547

25.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$5,525 BGN 9,192

-0.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$29.30 BGN 48.74

104.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$22.07 BGN 36.72

52.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$61.8 BGN 103

51.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$65.8 BGN 109

49.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$207 BGN 344

151.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$146 BGN 243

165.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$298 BGN 496

199.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$247 BGN 412

156.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,340 BGN 2,230

150.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$1,094 BGN 1,821

95.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$711 BGN 1,182

70.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.5

4.67%

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

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Smolyan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Varna and $207 in Smolyan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 71% 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 $38.00 in Smolyan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $206 per month, with Smolyan 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 Smolyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Smolyan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% 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 $207 in Smolyan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $413 in Varna versus $329 in Smolyan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $758 in Smolyan versus $1,194 in Varna, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Smolyan but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Smolyan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Smolyan 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 Smolyan 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 Smolyan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.