Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Sunny Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Varna and Sunny Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Varna versus $1,111 in Sunny Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Varna versus $1,671 in Sunny Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,485 in Varna versus $2,230 in Sunny Beach.

Living in Varna is roughly 8% more expensive than in Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varna 11% lower, Sunny Beach 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 BGN 19.71

$8.10 BGN 13.47

46.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.45 BGN 77.3

$41.93 BGN 69.8

10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$10.02 BGN 16.67

-10.58%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BGN 4.30

$1.90 BGN 3.16

36.32%

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

$1.05 BGN 1.75

20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 BGN 5.00

$1.80 BGN 2.99

67.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BGN 4.79

$1.82 BGN 3.03

58.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.10

$2.04 BGN 3.39

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 BGN 1.79

$0.62 BGN 1.03

74.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 BGN 4.20

$2.76 BGN 4.60

-8.70%

Eggs

$3.37 BGN 5.61

$3.92 BGN 6.52

-14.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 BGN 17.67

$13.00 BGN 21.62

-18.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 BGN 14.03

$8.33 BGN 13.86

1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 BGN 20.37

$12.74 BGN 21.19

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 BGN 2.72

$1.60 BGN 2.66

1.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.57

$2.20 BGN 3.65

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BGN 3.07

$1.75 BGN 2.91

5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 BGN 4.60

$2.74 BGN 4.56

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$1.36 BGN 2.26

-19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.22 BGN 2.04

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BGN 1.24

$0.79 BGN 1.32

-6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.74 BGN 6.23

$3.70 BGN 6.15

1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 BGN 14.33

$5.96 BGN 9.91

44.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 BGN 1.83

$1.19 BGN 1.98

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.15

$1.70 BGN 2.82

11.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.20 BGN 1.99

0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.77 BGN 49.52

$27.06 BGN 45.01

10.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 BGN 2.32

$1.16 BGN 1.93

19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.10

$0.61 BGN 1.01

8.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.56 BGN 20.89

$12.03 BGN 20.01

4.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.51

$1.48 BGN 2.47

2.03%

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

$31.8K BGN 52.9K

$37.5K BGN 62.3K

-15.15%

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

$29.3K BGN 48.7K

$34.5K BGN 57.4K

-15.18%

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

$126 BGN 209

$117 BGN 195

7.17%

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

$18.91 BGN 31.46

$17.33 BGN 28.84

9.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 BGN 25.85

$13.38 BGN 22.26

16.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 BGN 67.2

$29.54 BGN 49.14

36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 BGN 24.26

$14.59 BGN 24.27

Cinema Ticket

$8.97 BGN 14.91

$6.88 BGN 11.44

30.38%

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

$413 BGN 688

$328 BGN 545

26.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,520 BGN 9,183

$5,492 BGN 9,136

0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 BGN 99.6

$34.40 BGN 57.2

73.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 BGN 55.8

$29.72 BGN 49.43

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 BGN 156

$125 BGN 209

-25.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 BGN 164

$77.9 BGN 130

26.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 BGN 865

$598 BGN 995

-13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 BGN 646

$361 BGN 600

7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 BGN 1,488

$701 BGN 1,166

27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 BGN 1,054

$537 BGN 893

17.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,359 BGN 5,589

$1,367 BGN 2,275

145.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 BGN 3,550

$1,129 BGN 1,878

89.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,212 BGN 2,017

$939 BGN 1,563

29.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

5.1

-7.65%

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

Last update for Varna: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Varna and $598 in Sunny Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varna pays 29% 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 $42.00 in Sunny Beach. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $256, with Varna cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sunny Beach wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Varna. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sunny Beach the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 29% 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 $598 in Sunny Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,194 per month in Varna versus $1,111 in Sunny Beach – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sunny Beach runs roughly 10% less than in Varna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,111 in Sunny Beach versus $1,194 in Varna, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sunny Beach but tight or insufficient in Varna. The gap between the two cities makes Sunny Beach the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sunny Beach delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,111 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sunny Beach hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Varna and Sunny Beach 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 Sunny Beach gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Varna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.