Cost of Living in Varna, Bulgaria

Updated On February 24, 2026
Aerial view of The Cathedral of the Assumption in Varna. Bulgaria. Europe.
Cost of Living Index:
39.13
* Based on Research & User Data

Bulgaria FlagBulgaria : Cost of Living by City

Cost of Living in Bulgaria

How Much Does It Cost to Live in Varna?

Wherever in the world you have decided to move, it is essential to know what you expenses would be and how much you will earn monthly.

Once you get this information, you will be able to make plans and divide your monthly income into equal parts so as to manage to cover all the crucial bills and costs.

Varna is the city where you will be in position to afford almost everything, from leisure and entertainment, to eating out almost daily and buying designer clothes, due to the low prices.

Cost of Living Breakdown in Varna

Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

People in Varna enjoy spending time in restaurants, and this is due to the low prices of meals in the majority of taverns there.

You can find lots and lots of large and attractive restaurants who offer various types of food and it is always advisable not to choose luxurious ones, as the prices would be quite high.

Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) $6.94
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) $1.30
Water (0.33 Liter) $0.60
Markets

MARKETS

Visitors find Varna a very affordable place to live due to the low prices of food and groceries.

Being that food is the most important and unavoidable monthly cots, it is fully recommend living there because food would not be a big expense for your budget.

Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter) $4.29
Loaf Bread (500g) $0.51
Eggs (12) $1.64
Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

According to your habits and lifestyle, you can either choose driving or using public transportation system in Varna.

Actually, if you would like to save some money on commuting, rather than spending it on gasoline, it is advisable to travel by buses which are more than affordable.

Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket $0.58
Monthly Pass $24.29
Gasoline $4.72
Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Varna is being the third largest city in Bulgaria, but the prices of utilities are not so low, when compared to other major cities.

You will need to devote $100 per month for basic services and the Internet.

The heating during winter months would take even more money, but that is the situation in most countries all over the world.

Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) $88.60
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local $0.17
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) $11.29
Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

When sport and entertainment is in question, you are the one to determine how much money should be spent, and whether it is worth spending.

Tennis court rent is less expensive than in other Bulgarian cites, while fitness club fee is almost equal in all of them.

Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult $22.75
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) $8.76
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release $6.94
Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

Everybody likes to dress well and wear designer clothes, and that is really affordable in Varna.

You can find cheap and quality clothing items and improve your apparel by buying a pair of jeans for less than $50.

Nevertheless, people from Varna do not spend much on clothes, only 4% of monthly budget.

Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) $46.60
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) $29.94
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) $74.22
Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

In Varna, you can have a reasonably high standard of living for far less money, because you will pay approximately $260 for the fully furnished one bedroom apartment in the city center, which is impossible in many of European countries.

If you do not need to live in the center, then your rent per month would be even lower.

Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center $263.83
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center $190.36
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center $482.17

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Varna?

You can decide relocating for many reasons, most people do that looking for better careers or they just choose countries which offer more affordable quality of life.

Getting acquainted with monthly spending of the citizens of the city you are moving to might be helpful for your budget plans in the future.

As in most of the cities, people of Varna spend money on food and rent, as well as in restaurants and on transportation.

These are the main expenses, due to the fact that sports and clothing are not of utmost importance.

Average Costs Breakdown

14.3%
35.4%
14.5%
8.3%
6.5%
4%
16.9%

Varna: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

A big reason why people are moving to Varna is the cost of living there, which is about 50% lower than in the rest of the European Union.

Varna has many advantages and disadvantages, but still it is quite affordable city for new settlers.

The distinction between the minimum and average monthly salary is huge and this affects the living conditions of its citizens.

Once you decide to live in Varna, make sure that your salary would be at least average so as to be able to provide a decent life for yourself and your family.

Average Salary$521.63
Minimum Wage$312.7
Mortgage Interest Rate4.74%

Cost of Living by City in Bulgaria

City Cost of Living Index
Bulgaria FlagBurgas 36.26
Bulgaria FlagPlovdiv 36.45
Bulgaria FlagSofia 40.36

Where to Next?

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

10 Reviews on Varna

  1. C
    Callum89 says:

    Seems like a really good city to live in! I just checked salaries and even bartenders earn just over the minimum wage, so most occupations will pay enough for you to live a good life. I’ve always liked Bulgaria, it’d be really nice to go there someday. I hear Plovdiv is great.

  2. I have been to Varna a few times before. It’s just 90 minutes along the coast from me in Mangalia. It’s a very nice city for sure! Prices are very low like it says here, anyone looking to move around in the EU should consider Bulgaria, really any city at all. The Bulgarians are great people.

  3. I
    Irma Doockler says:

    I found it strange nobody mention about Health Insurance in Bulgaria – it seems to me Signa took over the market with unrealistic prices, especially for Bulgaria – thousands of dollars!!!
    But I am sure there are some good plans in a hospitals. Why hospitals are not metioning anything about this subject?

  4. Have you found that the cost of living in Varna has changed much recently? I’m curious how it compares to other cities you’ve lived in.

  5. J
    Jacqueline says:

    It’s really refreshing to see a place where you can enjoy life without constantly worrying about finances. It makes such a difference to have that balance between enjoying everyday pleasures and not feeling stretched too thin. It’s interesting how location can shift our perspective on spending and quality of life.

  6. The affordability in Varna sounds really appealing. It’s nice to hear that you can enjoy a good quality of life without breaking the bank. I imagine managing expenses becomes much easier when everything is reasonably priced.

  7. It’s refreshing to hear about a place where the cost of living allows for a more enjoyable lifestyle without constantly stressing about money. It’s a rare feeling to be able to treat yourself to dining out or splurging on something nice without feeling guilty about it. Varna sounds like a hidden gem where you can really start to embrace life instead of just surviving paycheck to paycheck. It makes me think about how important it is to find balance between income and expenses so we can truly enjoy our lives.

  8. Those low costs make Varna sound really tempting, my monthly budget would stretch so much farther there. Being able to eat out a lot and still afford nicer stuff is a huge perk.

  9. J
    Jennifer says:

    Can you share some real numbers on monthly costs in Varna, like average rent for a one bedroom, utilities, groceries, public transport and eating out, and roughly what salary someone would need to comfortably cover leisure and designer shopping without skimping?

  10. This reads like a budget paradise. If rent, groceries, and eating out are really that cheap, show me the price list because my wallet is ready and my common sense is skeptical.

Varna Rated 3.9 / 5 based on 10 user reviews.

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