Just Landed in Bulgaria? Your First 7 Days

Mobile and fixed internet are cheap, fast and widely available; Bulgaria consistently ranks among the best in Europe for broadband speed, with symmetric gigabit fibre common in cities. The three networks A1, Yettel and Vivacom all offer strong 4G and expanding 5G in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. Prepaid SIMs require passport registration by law, and self-service kiosks are rare, so buy from a staffed shop.

Typical cost: 10-20 euro for a prepaid SIM with generous data; 15-25 euro/month for a home fibre plan, often gigabit

The euro is now the only legal tender since the January 2026 changeover, after a short dual-circulation period; any remaining lev cash can still be exchanged free of charge at commercial banks and Bulgarian National Bank branches during 2026 at the fixed rate of 1.95583 lev per euro. Card payments are accepted almost everywhere in cities, including contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Opening an account: UniCredit Bulbank, DSK Bank and Postbank are the most foreigner-friendly high-street banks, and Fibank and Raiffeisen-successor KBC are also common. To open an account you typically need your passport, an LNCh (foreigner personal number) or residence document, and proof of a Bulgarian address; some branches open basic accounts for non-residents but with lower limits. Revolut and Wise are widely used for transfers and travel while a local account is pending.

Cash: Cards dominate in Sofia and larger towns, but keep small euro notes and coins for village shops, farmers' markets, older taxis, tipping and the occasional cash-only bakery or kiosk. Rural areas and small family businesses are noticeably more cash-oriented than the capital.

Tipping: Tipping is customary but modest: round up the bill or leave about 10% in restaurants and cafes for good service. Hand the tip directly to your server rather than leaving it on the table, since it is not always pooled, and a small tip for taxis and hairdressers is appreciated but not obligatory.

Address and residence registration are genuinely required in Bulgaria for anyone settling long term. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens who stay over three months must obtain a long-term residence certificate from the Migration Directorate, which issues an LNCh (foreigner personal number) that you will need for a bank account, health cover, a GP and most contracts. Non-EU nationals hold a residence permit and register their address. Everyone living at a fixed address is expected to complete municipal address registration (adresna registratsia) at their district municipality, which usually requires a signed rental contract and the landlord's cooperation. Stays under three months need no registration.

Deadline: Within 3 months of arrival for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens; non-EU residents register their address shortly after receiving their permit

Where: Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior for residence status; your district municipality (obshtina) for address registration

Sofia has a clean, cheap metro (four lines) plus extensive trams, buses and trolleybuses; a single ride is 0.80 euro and you can tap a contactless bank card directly at the reader instead of buying a ticket. Monthly passes work out very cheap. Intercity travel is affordable but slow: private coaches (via the Central Bus Station) are generally faster and more comfortable than BDZ trains, which are scenic but ageing.

From the airport: The M4 metro links Terminal 2 to central Serdika in roughly 26-32 minutes for 0.80 euro, running from early morning until around midnight with no changes. For taxis, book only at the official OK Supertrans or Yellow desks inside the terminal, or order a Bolt; a fair metered fare to the centre is around 8-12 euro. Ignore drivers touting in the arrivals hall, who charge many times the going rate.

Rentals are found mainly through imot.bg (the largest listings platform), local agents and active Facebook and Telegram groups rather than one dominant international site; many of the best flats never reach the big portals and go straight through agents or word of mouth. Expect to view in person, negotiate a little, and sign a Bulgarian-language contract (dogovor za naem). Furnished flats are the norm in cities, and short leases are flexible.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat runs roughly 450-650 euro/month in central Sofia, 300-450 euro a little further out, and noticeably less in Plovdiv, Varna and smaller towns

Deposit norm: One month's rent as deposit plus the first month upfront; the agency fee, when an agent is involved, is usually one month's rent paid once

Bulgaria has a public health system funded by mandatory NHIF (NZOK) contributions alongside a large and affordable private sector. Employed residents contribute automatically through payroll; the self-employed and many newcomers pay NHIF monthly to stay covered. Public GP waits, paperwork and Cyrillic forms push many expats towards private clinics, where an out-of-pocket consultation is still cheap by European standards.

How to access it: Register with a personal GP (lichen lekar) once you have an LNCh and NHIF coverage; the GP is your gateway to specialists and prescriptions. For anything urgent or convenient, private clinics such as Tokuda (Acibadem City Clinic Tokuda), Sofiamed and Hill Clinic accept walk-ins and pay-per-visit, often with English-speaking doctors. Pharmacies (apteka) are plentiful, well stocked and can handle many minor problems directly.

Insurance: EU visitors can use an EHIC or GHIC for necessary treatment short term. Longer-stay residents should enrol in NHIF for public cover and many top it up with private insurance from Bulstrad, DZI or a comparable insurer for faster access, private hospitals and shorter queues. Keep proof of cover, as the Migration Directorate asks EU citizens to show health insurance for the residence certificate.

• A nod can mean no and a head shake can mean yes in Bulgaria; watch the verbal cues and confirm with da (yes) or ne (no) if you are unsure.
• Remove your shoes when entering someone's home; slippers for guests are usually offered at the door, and it is polite to accept them.
• Greet with a firm handshake and use surnames or titles until you are invited to switch to first names.
• Learning a few Bulgarian phrases and reading Cyrillic is genuinely appreciated and opens doors that English alone will not.
• If invited to someone's home, bring a small gift such as flowers, wine or chocolates, and give an odd number of flowers, as even numbers are for funerals.
• Meals are social and unhurried; wait to be seated and toasted with nazdrave before drinking, and expect generous hospitality that resists being turned down.
• Elders are treated with clear respect, so offer your seat on transport and let older people go first in queues and at the table.

• Older bureaucracy is Cyrillic-only and paperwork-heavy; bring copies, a pen and patience, and expect to queue rather than book everything online.
• Punctuality is valued for business and official appointments, but social gatherings and tradespeople can run on relaxed time.
• Discussing the communist era or Bulgaria's relations with North Macedonia can be sensitive; let locals lead the conversation.
• Nodding and shaking your head can be misread, so use words for yes and no in shops, taxis and offices to avoid genuine mix-ups.
• Do not assume older shopkeepers, officials or drivers speak English; have your address and key phrases written in Cyrillic as a backup.