Varna or Burgas (or Sofia)? Where to live in Bulgaria in 2026
Sofia pays best but costs most; Burgas is cheapest and calmest; Varna sits in between with more jobs, students and winter flights. Compared with 2026 data.
Short answer: choose Sofia for salaries and an international career, Burgas for the lowest costs and a calm seaside life, and Varna for the middle ground — the sea plus a bigger job market, five universities and the coast’s busiest winter airport. All three use the euro and none is perfect. The figures below are crowd-sourced or official data as of October 2026.
Varna, Burgas and Sofia side by side
| Varna | Burgas | Sofia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 census) | 311,000 | 188,000 | 1.18 million |
| 1-bed rent, centre / outside | €565 / €419 | €485 / €390 | €696 / €542 |
| Average net salary | €1,148 | €889 | €1,541 |
| Housing prices, Q1 2026 (q/q) | +4.0% | +5.9% | +5.8% |
| Airport passengers, 2025 | 1.8 m+ | about 1.8 m | 8.4 m |
| Sea | City beaches, Sea Garden | Shallow beaches, lakes | None – Vitosha mountain instead |
Rents and salaries: Numbeo, updated 24 October 2026 (crowd-sourced, treat as a guide). AffordWhere’s 2026 averages for a one-bed are similar: Varna €539, Burgas €483, Sofia €785. Housing prices: NSI.
Is Burgas better than Varna?
On paper Burgas often wins. A Darik Radio and 24 Chasa ranking of 27 cities named it Bulgaria’s best city to live in (January 2024), praising investment, kindergartens and culture, though it scored poorly on ecology. Burgas is quieter and cheaper. Varna is larger and livelier, with more universities and employers, but rents are higher and the centre gets crowded in summer. In the same survey’s online reader vote, Varna came first.
Varna or Sofia?
Sofia pays about a third more and has most of the country’s international jobs, embassies and year-round flights. You trade that for higher rent, a bigger city and no sea. Varna suits people with a remote salary or a job in IT, tourism, logistics or maritime work.
Flights, winter and community
- Sofia is the main hub, open all year.
- Varna had 16 winter routes to 11 countries in 2025/26, including daily Sofia, Vienna and Istanbul flights.
- Burgas mostly works as a summer airport; check its winter schedule before you rely on it.
In winter, Varna stays busier than Burgas thanks to its students, while both coastal cities are much quieter than in July. Both have large Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking communities; English is more common in Sofia.
Which city suits you?
- Remote worker: Varna — the sea, cafés and the best winter flights on the coast.
- Family: Burgas — lower costs, calm and shallow beaches; Varna if you prefer a bigger city.
- Student: Varna (several universities, including the Medical University) or Sofia for the widest choice.
- Retiree: Burgas or Varna; visit both in January first.
Before signing anything, read our cost of living in Varna and finding a flat in Varna guides.
Just visiting?
Spend a few days in each. For Varna, start with the top 10 sights and when to visit on Varna Guide.
What do people who already live here say? Read living in Varna: what locals say on Varna Daily.
Sources
- Numbeo – Varna vs Burgas (updated 24 Oct 2026)
- Numbeo – Varna vs Sofia (updated 24 Oct 2026)
- Numbeo – Cost of living in Varna
- NSI – Housing price statistics, Q1 2026
- AffordWhere – Burgas vs Varna
- AffordWhere – Sofia vs Varna
- Profit.bg – Burgas named best city to live in (Jan 2024)
- Fraport Bulgaria – Varna and Burgas passengers in 2025
- Fraport Bulgaria – Varna Airport winter 2025/26 schedule
- Fraport Bulgaria – Burgas Airport summer 2026
- Wikipedia – Sofia Airport (passenger statistics)
- Wikipedia – List of cities and towns in Bulgaria (2021 census)
- Prian.ru – Varna or Burgas (May 2025)
- Sofia Expats – Living in Varna
💬 What people say
Summarised from public reviews, forums and social posts — paraphrased themes, not individual quotes.
Prian.ru ↗Property agents describe Burgas as calmer, cleaner and cheaper, with a shallow sea good for small children, and Varna as bigger and busier, with more jobs, universities and things to do.
Prian.ru ↗Technical specialists and service staff are in demand on the coast, but foreigners looking for local jobs run into bureaucracy and usually need Bulgarian.
Sofia Expats ↗Expat guides list windy winters, summer crowds, slow bureaucracy, hard parking in the centre and fewer international jobs than Sofia as the main downsides of Varna.
Profit.bg ↗In the 2024 national city ranking experts named Burgas the best place to live, while readers voting online put Varna first.
Frequently asked questions
Varna or Burgas: which is better to live in?
Burgas is cheaper (about €485 vs €565 for a central one-bed, Numbeo, Oct 2026) and calmer, and won a 2024 national 'best city to live' ranking. Varna is bigger, with more jobs, universities and winter flights.
Varna or Sofia?
Sofia if salary and career come first: average net pay is about €1,541 vs €1,148 in Varna (Numbeo). Varna if you want the sea, a smaller city and rents around €130 a month lower.
What is the best place to live in Bulgaria for expats?
There is no single answer. Remote workers and families often pick Varna or Burgas for the sea; people who need an international job market and year-round flights usually choose Sofia.
Is Burgas cheaper than Varna?
Yes, slightly. Numbeo (24 Oct 2026) puts everyday costs excluding rent about 10% lower in Burgas, and a central one-bed costs roughly €80 less per month.
