The variable magnification optical system consists of a front group, a middle group, and a rear group, in order from an object side. The front group consists of two or fewer lens groups and has a negative refractive power. The middle group includes only one lens group that has a positive refractive power as a lens group. The rear group consists of three or less lens groups. An aperture stop is disposed between a lens surface closest to an image side in the front group and a lens surface closest to the object side in the rear group. The front group includes at least three negative lenses and at least one positive lens. A negative meniscus lens convex toward the object side is disposed closest to the object side in the front group. The variable magnification optical system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.