For meals, transport, tips - whats the safe amount to carry in Bulgaria ? Trying to plan a daily budget for a month long trip
For a long weekend in Sofia, I spent €110 removed link Stayed at a 4-star hotel €70/night, had steak dinners with cocktails €30-€40, and joined a Rila Monastery day tour €25. Taxi from airport €10. Tips were 10% at restaurants, €1 for taxis. It felt affordable even at this level.
Over three weeks, I averaged €55 removed link Stayed in family-run guesthouses, cooked some meals from Lidl (€10/day groceries), and spent on cultural attractions - Tsarevets Fortress €6, museums in Sofia €3-€5. Public buses between towns were €5-€7. Eating out occasionally cost €12-€15 for a main and beer. Tips small, about rounding up. Bulgaria is inexpensive, especially outside Black Sea resorts.
I spent €70-€85/day across Sofia, Varna, and Veliko Tarnovo. Boutique guesthouse €30-€40/night, dinners with wine at restaurants like Made in Blue €20-€25, and taxi rides around Sofia €6-€8. Train to Varna was €18, and beach clubs charged €15-€20 for loungers. Tips at restaurants were about 10%. Free walking tours in Sofia were a highlight, though I left a €5 tip. At this level, you can enjoy comfort without overindulgence.
I survived Sofia and Plovdiv on €35/day. Hostels in Sofia were €12-€15, a banitsa pastry and coffee breakfast €2-€3, and a cheap restaurant lunch like kebapche and salad €6-€8. City buses or trams only cost €1 per ticket, and trains between cities were around €6-€10. Beer in student bars €2-€Tipping is 10%, but not mandatory. Museums like the Roman Theatre in Plovdiv or Rila Monastery bus trips add €10-€15. Overall, very budget friendly.