🇧🇬 Bulgaria · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Sofia? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, central (Oborishte, Doctor's Garden, Lozenets)EUR 600–950 / month
Utilities and internet, one personEUR 90–180 / month, higher in winter
Groceries, one personEUR 220–350 / month
Monthly public transport card, all linesEUR 25.50 / month
Good to know
Population
≈1.28 million in the city; roughly 1.7 million across the wider Sofia region
Currency
Euro. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026 at 1.95583 lev to the euro; the lev ceased to be legal tender on 1 February 2026
Schengen
Full Schengen member since 1 January 2025 — air and sea from March 2024, land borders from January 2025
Languages
Bulgarian, written in Cyrillic — the script originated in the mediaeval Bulgarian empire. English is widely spoken in tech and outsourcing; Russian among older people
Income tax
Flat 10% on personal income, with no progressive bands — the joint-lowest headline rate in the EU
Time zone
EET (GMT+2), EEST (GMT+3) in summer
Power plug
Type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz
Public transport
Monthly card EUR 25.50, annual EUR 185, single journey EUR 0.80 following the euro changeover
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Sofia checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Sofia
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.