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: $1,189 in Varna versus $753 in Smolyan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,217 in Smolyan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Varna versus $1,682 in Smolyan.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Smolyan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 BGN 19.26

$6.47 BGN 10.76

78.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 BGN 77.6

$37.86 BGN 63.0

23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 BGN 14.43

$5.76 BGN 9.59

50.69%

Cappuccino

$2.58 BGN 4.30

$1.35 BGN 2.24

91.11%

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

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.36 BGN 2.26

33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BGN 2.13

$1.01 BGN 1.68

26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$1.82 BGN 3.03

58.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 BGN 5.03

$2.23 BGN 3.71

35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BGN 3.14

$1.82 BGN 3.02

3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.91 BGN 1.52

18.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 BGN 4.06

$1.78 BGN 2.97

37.08%

Eggs

$3.30 BGN 5.48

$3.45 BGN 5.73

-4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 BGN 18.30

$10.81 BGN 17.98

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 BGN 14.08

$5.75 BGN 9.57

47.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.26 BGN 20.40

$8.64 BGN 14.38

41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.20 BGN 1.99

38.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.79 BGN 2.97

18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.08

$1.22 BGN 2.02

51.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 BGN 4.64

$2.32 BGN 3.86

20.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$1.15 BGN 1.91

3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.43 BGN 2.37

-20.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.60 BGN 1.01

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BGN 6.26

$3.51 BGN 5.84

7.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.12 BGN 15.16

$6.11 BGN 10.16

49.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 BGN 1.92

$0.61 BGN 1.01

90.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 BGN 3.19

$1.69 BGN 2.81

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$0.91 BGN 1.52

31.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 BGN 49.84

$33.37 BGN 55.5

-10.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.31

$1.15 BGN 1.91

20.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 BGN 1.17

$0.55 BGN 0.92

29.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.51 BGN 20.80

$11.97 BGN 19.91

4.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.58 BGN 2.64

-4.43%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$23.2K BGN 38.5K

36.81%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.7K

$24.8K BGN 41.2K

15.74%

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

$125 BGN 208

$119 BGN 198

4.65%

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

$19.16 BGN 31.87

$16.39 BGN 27.27

16.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.85 BGN 26.37

$9.29 BGN 15.46

70.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 BGN 67.2

$22.97 BGN 38.21

75.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.52 BGN 24.15

$14.97 BGN 24.90

-3.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.11 BGN 15.16

$7.10 BGN 11.81

28.31%

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

$400 BGN 666

$321 BGN 535

24.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,515 BGN 9,174

$5,516 BGN 9,176

-0.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 BGN 100

$29.60 BGN 49.24

103.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 BGN 55.6

$22.54 BGN 37.50

48.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 BGN 154

$61.9 BGN 103

49.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 BGN 167

$65.4 BGN 109

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 BGN 857

$205 BGN 340

151.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 BGN 650

$150 BGN 250

160.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 BGN 1,508

$293 BGN 487

209.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 BGN 1,075

$247 BGN 410

162.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,420 BGN 5,690

$1,367 BGN 2,274

150.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,147 BGN 3,572

$1,113 BGN 1,852

92.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,196 BGN 1,989

$709 BGN 1,179

68.73%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Smolyan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $515 in Varna and $205 in Smolyan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 69% 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: $47.00 in Varna vs $38.00 in Smolyan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $205 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.

Varna pays 69% more on average, 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: $515 in Varna versus $205 in Smolyan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $400 in Varna versus $321 in Smolyan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Varna. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $753 in Smolyan versus $1,189 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.