Bulgaria (BG)

Bulgaria is the oldest state in Europe (founded 681 AD), a member of the European Union since 2007, and one of the most affordable countries for expats in the EU.

Capital: Sofia

Region: Europe

Language: Bulgarian

Currency: BGN (лв)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 37)

Emergency: 112

Daily Life

Practical day-to-day information for living in Bulgaria.

🛒 Supermarkets

Kaufland mid

German-owned hypermarket chain — largest stores with excellent selection. Most neighbourhoods in Sofia have one. Good deli, bakery, and non-food sections.

Lidl budget

German budget supermarket with good quality. Expanding rapidly across Bulgaria. Popular for fresh produce and weekly specials.

Billa mid

Austrian-owned, strong in Sofia and major cities. Good for imported products and premium items.

Fantastico mid

Bulgarian supermarket chain — 24/7 locations available in Sofia. Good for late-night shopping.

T-Market budget

Large Bulgarian discount chain. Budget-friendly. Good for everyday groceries.

CBA budget

Smaller Bulgarian neighbourhood stores. Convenient for daily shopping.

Piccadilly premium

Premium imported goods, international products, organic section. Popular with expats for familiar Western brands.

Opening Hours

Most supermarkets and shops: Mon–Sat 08:00–21:00, Sun 09:00–20:00. Large supermarkets (Kaufland, Billa) often open until 22:00. Fantastico is open 24/7 at some locations. Shopping malls (Serdika Center, Mall of Sofia, Paradise Center): Mon–Sun 10:00–22:00. Banks: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00. Government offices: Mon–Fri 09:00–17:30.

Sunday Rules

Unlike Germany, Bulgaria has NO Sunday shopping restrictions. Shops, supermarkets, and malls are open on Sundays. Sunday is a normal shopping day. Construction work is restricted on Sundays (22:00–08:00 are quiet hours on all days including Sunday).

Recycling

Bulgaria has a developing recycling infrastructure. Colour-coded bins in cities: yellow/orange for packaging (plastic, metal, cartons), blue for paper/cardboard, green for glass. Most neighbourhoods have coloured containers near apartment blocks. Household recycling compliance is lower than Western Europe — recycling culture is improving. Large supermarkets have reverse vending machines for bottles. Bulky item collection: contact your municipality. ECOBG manages the packaging recycling network.

Dining Out

Eating out is very affordable by European standards. A lunch menu (обяд) in a local restaurant: 8–15 BGN (€4–8). Evening meal for two with wine: 40–70 BGN (€20–36). Many restaurants are cash-only, though card acceptance is increasing. Traditional Bulgarian mehana (механа) restaurants offer folklore atmosphere and excellent traditional cuisine. Кафене (café) culture is strong — espresso coffee costs 1.80–2.50 BGN. Rakija is often offered complimentary as a welcome drink.

Tipping: Tipping 10% is standard and appreciated in restaurants, but not obligatory. Round up for taxi drivers. For hotel staff: 2–5 BGN per service. For hairdressers and spa: 10%. At coffee shops, rounding up the bill or leaving small change is common. Tipping is done discreetly — leave cash on the table or hand directly to the server.

Utilities & Internet

Monthly utility costs for a 60m² apartment in Sofia: electricity 50–100 BGN, water 20–40 BGN, heating (where central heating exists or gas) 80–150 BGN in winter. District heating (топлофикация) is common in panel apartment blocks — billed per GJ consumed. Most apartments use electric panel heaters or air-conditioning units for individual heating. Many old buildings are not well insulated — factor in higher winter heating costs.

Internet providers

A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mobiltel) — leading mobile and fiber operatorVivacom — national operator, strong in fiber broadbandYettel (formerly Telenor) — mobile and broadbandBulsatcom — satellite and cable TV with internetBergon.net — local ISP in Sofia with competitive fiber pricesMax Telecom — fast fiber internet in Sofia

Mobile operators

A1 Bulgaria — largest network, good coverage nationwideVivacom — second largest, strong in citiesYettel (formerly Telenor) — competitive plans, good data speeds

Cultural Tips for Expats

→ CRITICAL: The head nod/shake convention is reversed in Bulgaria — nodding means NO, shaking means YES. This is different from almost every other country in the world and causes endless confusion.
→ Bulgarians are very hospitable — if invited to someone's home, bring a small gift (wine, chocolates, flowers). Do not arrive empty-handed.
→ Everything in Bulgaria is primarily in Cyrillic script — street signs, menus, official forms. Learning the Cyrillic alphabet (30 letters, takes ~2 hours) is the single most useful first step for expats.
→ The bureaucracy is in Bulgarian only — most official documents, forms, and government websites are not available in English. Consider hiring a Bulgarian-speaking assistant or expat-oriented service for the first few months.
→ Orthodox Christian traditions shape the calendar significantly — Easter is a 4-day national holiday with special foods and customs.
→ Bulgaria has name days (имен ден) — celebrations of the saint whose name you share. These are often bigger than birthdays. Know your Bulgarian colleagues' name days.

Quiet Hours

Bulgaria has legally defined quiet hours under the Ministry of Health regulations and municipal ordinances. Violations can result in fines from the local municipality or police.

Night quiet hours 22:00–08:00 (all days)

All residential buildings and areas. No loud music, construction, or noise-making activities.

Afternoon quiet hours 14:00–16:00 (all days)

Residential areas — afternoon rest period (следобедна почивка). Particularly important in apartment buildings.

Weekend mornings 08:00–10:00 (Sat & Sun)

Extra consideration expected in apartment buildings. Avoid noisy activities before 10:00 on weekends.

Common Mistakes

•Running washing machines or dishwashers late at night
•Drilling or using power tools during afternoon rest hours
•Loud music from balconies or open windows in the evening
•Parties extending past 22:00 in apartment buildings without warning neighbours

Consequences

Fine from 50 to 500 BGN for first offence. Repeated violations can result in higher fines and neighbour complaints to building management.

Postal Services

Bulgarian Posts (Български пощи) operates the national postal service. International courier services DHL, FedEx, DPD, Econt, and Speedy are widely used and often faster for parcels.

Parcel Lockers

Econt and Speedy operate extensive parcel locker (автоматична поща) networks — Econt has lockers in virtually every neighbourhood in Sofia and major cities. Econt is the dominant domestic courier and widely used for e-commerce. Speedy is second. Most Bulgarians use Econt boxes for online shopping delivery.

ID Verification

ID required for collecting parcels from post offices for registered shipments.

Registered Mail

Registered letters (препоръчани писма) require signature and ID at collection. Official government and court correspondence is typically sent registered.

Mail Forwarding

Mail forwarding available through Bulgarian Posts — apply at your local post office with fee.

→Learn to use Econt — it is the backbone of Bulgarian e-commerce and most online shops ship via Econt or Speedy
→Econt offices are open Mon–Sat including evenings (usually 08:00–20:00)
→Many Bulgarians use a courier office address rather than home delivery for convenience
→For international parcels, DHL and DPD are more reliable than Bulgarian Posts