Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Varna vs $846 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Varna vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,485 per month in Varna vs $1,814 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Varna costs about 41% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Varna and Stara Zagora are more affordable than the global median – Varna 11% lower, Stara Zagora 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$9.10 BGN 15.13

30.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$35.43 BGN 58.9

31.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$9.16 BGN 15.23

-2.18%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$1.91 BGN 3.18

35.60%

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

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.28 BGN 2.13

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 BGN 2.12

$0.73 BGN 1.22

73.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$1.20 BGN 2.00

150.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$2.04 BGN 3.40

41.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-2.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.82 BGN 1.37

31.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$1.55 BGN 2.58

62.58%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$2.27 BGN 3.78

48.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$9.13 BGN 15.19

16.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$7.36 BGN 12.25

14.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$8.49 BGN 14.12

44.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.37 BGN 2.28

18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$1.66 BGN 2.76

29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.85 BGN 3.08

-0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.16 BGN 3.60

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.01 BGN 1.69

14.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.81 BGN 1.35

34.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$0.56 BGN 0.93

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.71 BGN 1.19

4.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.92 BGN 6.52

-4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$5.31 BGN 8.84

62.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.23 BGN 2.05

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$2.16 BGN 3.60

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$0.91 BGN 1.51

32.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$19.02 BGN 31.65

56.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.34 BGN 2.23

3.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.67 BGN 1.12

-1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$11.59 BGN 19.27

8.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.49 BGN 2.47

1.34%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$24.8K BGN 41.3K

28.00%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$17.4K BGN 29.0K

67.79%

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

$126 BGN 209

$101 BGN 169

23.93%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$15.19 BGN 25.26

24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$11.35 BGN 18.88

36.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$19.34 BGN 32.17

108.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$17.37 BGN 28.90

-16.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$7.88 BGN 13.11

13.83%

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

$413 BGN 688

$232 BGN 386

78.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$2,400 BGN 3,993

129.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$38.78 BGN 64.5

54.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$19.03 BGN 31.65

76.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$77.9 BGN 130

20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$75.2 BGN 125

30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$248 BGN 413

109.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$226 BGN 376

71.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$399 BGN 664

124.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$356 BGN 592

77.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,497 BGN 2,490

124.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$1,082 BGN 1,800

97.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$1,044 BGN 1,737

16.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

3.4

38.53%

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

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $520 in Varna versus $248 in Stara Zagora. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Varna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Varna versus $35.00 in Stara Zagora. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $204 – making Stara Zagora the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,194 in Varna, $846 in Stara Zagora – roughly 41% apart. Varna costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Varna and $1,269 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stara Zagora, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Varna, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Varna and $35.00 in Stara Zagora. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $846, than in Varna at $1,194. In Stara Zagora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Varna has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $846 in Stara Zagora to $1,194 in Varna. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stara Zagora. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Varna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.