Cost of living in Bulgaria in 2025

That does sound like quite a lot!  Do they add in management fees on top, perhaps?

Electricity rates vary in the different areas, due to the utility companies having regional monopolies and setting their own, but our base tariff for mid-October to mid-November here in Sofia (before VAT and the various add-ons they sneak in) was 0.162kw/h(day) and .071(night).  Having checked the bills, our consumption totalled 89.28 leva, which came to 150.66 leva with all the additional bits. Actually, rather less than I thought it was...but it's been a pretty warm "winter" so far 😀

@RexTechGuy

Commercial/business electricity is VERY expensive compared to residential. And this will apply to your own apartment usage and your share of the common expenses. My leccy bill is 100 ish, so I'd not be surprised to see 300/400 instead. 700 sounds a bit steep, but still vaguely plausible. If you're in a complex and the water and electricity are business rates, and they have a good chunk of maintenance, then the costs can add up. And not really a lot you can do about it. Switching a complex to separate meters is expensive and slow (years), but it's a good move if all the residents are on board with getting it done.

It;s certainly the case that "business electricity" is more expensive, but residential complexes pay the standard rate for utilities, even if they're owned by businesses: we had a host of them in our complex, and I was on the management committee and knew how the bills etc worked.  And of course, foreigners don't need BG companies to own apartments anyway.

All the newish (ie 15 years old and newer) complexes that I know of all have separate meters for the apartments; I can't imagine the chaos and squabbles that a joint utility bill for a block, or even complex, would create.

@JimJ

sadly there are many that I know have had to suffer high electricity costs because they are on a complex. The Vineyards in Aheloy and many others in the same area pay business rate, yes they have separate meters but the complex owns the meters and an employee reads the meters and the complex produces the bill that the owners pay, 

@roywebb58

I imagine that the complex gets billed the same rate as everyone else, but the owners have rather unwisely signed up to a deal where they get scr*wed by whoever runs the operation.  It's amazing how many folks don't read and understand what they're signing and just hope that those sharks out there are looking for other prey...

Bulgaria has never been the place for the naive or unwary!

Well we've just about resigned ourselves to probably paying the high bill. I have sent an email to the local utility company that services this region asking if they can please clarify the current rates for businesses. Can we refuse to pay the bill she is trying to give us for November? I don't think we should have to pay a bill again that we payed 3 months ago. Thoughts?

First thought is: what is in your contract with the management company?  Is it a closed complex - if it is, then legally you may well be tied to the management company (usually/often the construction/investment company which built the complex).  I can, but won't, tell you some stories about the personal experience I've had with the dodgy dealings that can occur in such situations.

I remember years ago that there were all sorts of weird goings-on at Aheloy, in a number of the complexes. I assume that yours is one of those that actually does have Act 16?  Several were illegally connected to the utilities (by the utility companies) without Act 16 and owners were occupying, and renting out, units.  I was under the impression that things had been sorted out but maybe not; I'm aware of similar current situations in Sofia too..

Second thought is to get a written breakdown showing what you've paid to date and exactly what you supposedly owe now..

JimJ, yes we are def ACT16. My thoughts were to have her open the door to access the meters and then explain both readings in detail (there are 2). I'm assuming one is ours for the apt, but not sure about the second reading. I am thinking it is for the common areas, and if so, she is charging us the entire amount instead of splitting it amongst the 4 units in our building. I really want to clarify where our $$ is going. If we are getting popped for the business rates, do we not get the day/night rate differentials?

Interestingly, the situation here is, or at least was until very recently, somewhat topsy-turvy; that's because domestic supplies have been regulated by the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) since July 1, 2023, averaging 127 Leva/MWh per month. At the same time, commercial supplies are traded on the Independent Energy Exchange, and consequently float, having been around the same as, or below, the domestic rates and averaging c114 Leva. I'm not sure what the current rates are but I believe that the same sort of disparity still pertains.

Hi all, Has anyone looked to pay their local house tax as a friend of mine just did and was told it had gone up 76%, seems a large increase ?

Rgds Ozzy

@Ozzy183a

That's quite possible!

www.novinite.com/articles/230250/Big+Ta … nicipality

As and when my last post appears, it contains a link to a news article talking about the increases in municipal taxes this year - some quite swingeing....so it's quite possibly kosher!

Just an update re water costs: our usage was "exactly" 5 cubic metres this month (a suspiciously convenient figure, so I assume that, yet again, they couldn't be bothered to actually read the meter even though it's easily accessible.. 🙄).

That costs exactly 10.97 leva including VAT etc - obviously, your specific rate will depend on your local water company.

@JimJ

we are in a village and never get a reading taken during winter, namely October to March, during those months they estimate from previous records.

@roywebb58

Those "previous records" being themselves estimates, it seems...😂 The electricity companies are always happy to be given a customer reading and to then adjust their records and bills; do you have a neighbour who has a key and can take a photo of your meter readings (day and night tariffs).  It'll also help you make sure that no-one's syphoning off your electricity...

We had a chat w/mgr, and she explained what both of our meter readings were for (day/night). The meters are right below our unit so we can ask to see them at any time. Everyting has been straightened out so we are all good. I think we'll basically shut down the apartment from Nov-April and be somewhere else for those 5mos. Our building only has 4 units and 2 are empty for the winter and the other is only occupied part of the time, so I don't think someone is tapping into our feed, but I will def check :-) 

@JimJ

my comment was regarding water costs, my water meter is actually in my home.

My electric meter cupboard is padlocked and any stealing of course is possible but criminal damage would need to be carried out to gain access, and on the same subject I requested a visit by EVN to check the wiring in the box is all correct just recently as I did catch my neighbor fiddling with the box

Same here. Water meter is in our apt and EVN meters are in a locked room directly below us.

Costs have definitely gone up significantly, but I still find most bills to be surprisingly affordable. I am expecting property taxes to show a big rise, but Plovdiv hasn't posted mine for 2025 yet.

Some of my recent bills in early 2025...

Care agency commission is 75 lv per month (we were paying roughly 1,000 UKP in the UK for the same service).

Live-in carer around 450 lv per week (we were paying 1,200 UKP in the UK for the same service).

NHIF now about 38 lv per month, I just paid 970 lv for me and my partner for calendar 2025 (+ a couple of extra months still due for 2024, with late fee). This is for full coverage in the public health system (NHS equivalent). My dad gets this for free with his S1. Doctor house call for my dad is 100 lv.

Water at my dad's flat was 43 lv.

Electricity at our house (not being used) was 3 lv (no standing charges, usage fee only, this is just for the fridge/freezer).

Our apartment electricity was 85 lv. I have a couple of empty ones nearby, they were 6 lv each.

Our apartment water was 14 lv.

Electricity at my dad's flat was 125 lv (kept hot all the time through the winter, maybe 25 degrees or so).

Service charge at my dad's flat 12 lv per month.

Physiotherapy x 5 sessions (courtesy of NHIF and my orthopedic surgeon, for my shoulder tendonitis) 5 lv. We pay 50 lv per session (an hour, usually) for a specialist geriatric physiotherapist for my dad, at his flat.

GP consult (to get referral to the orthopedic surgeon) and orthopedic surgeon consult (to identify shoulder issue and treatment) at nice private hospital (Medline). 3lv each (private surcharge).

Car service (fully synthetic oil, oil and air filters, labour, and VAT) 192 lv. I caught the bus back after dropping it off, and Plovdiv buses are still 1 lv per journey, a bargain.

I spend a lot on groceries/supermarket shopping, but it's for us two, plus dad and his carer. I don't keep detailed records as I shop most days (sometimes twice a day). And the carer gets an allowance for whatever bits she needs to pick up at the local market. Probably in the region of 1,600 lv monthly. But this is for fresh food with all meals made from scratch at home, very little eating out.

My swim card has been 60 lv (for 12 entries in a month). The fancy new 50m pool is opening soon, and this will go up to 80 lv or so. I have a nice gym across the road, and it's 15 lv per visit.

After my lunch time swim, I often go to the market cafe next door. Americano coffee is 2 lv, overnight oats/yoghurt is 3 lv, fresh pomegranate juice (in season) has been 7 lv for a small bottle. The market has loads of fresh fruit and veggies and fancy local cheeses. A bit more expensive than Kaufland, but the flavour is usually better.

I had dinner with friends recently in a very upscale local restaurant (not really my scene, but it was high quality food). It was 350 lv for 3, and they both had wine and desserts. Our local pizzeria (excellent fresh pizza) is still our go-to for a quiet lunch. We normally share a large pizza and a Greek salad, plus drinks (water, glass of wine, coffee) and it's around 35 leva for the two of us.

Apartments usually have individual water meters inside the property (mainly in the bathroom).  There is normally an advance notice of when the meters are due to be read, and owners can leave a post-it note on their door with their reading.  Often the meter-reader will leave a phone number you can call to give them your reading, or you can go to the utility company's offices with it.

Roy, I hope you can get the bills sorted out.

I am feeling very fortunate with our council tax bill this year. I expected the council tax to have made a big jump up from the previous years, as we'd completely the purchase since the 2024 bill and had done all the necessary paperwork for the municipality, with the correct purchase price quoted. I assumed that would mean a rise in tax. Getting a bill of 45 leva for 2025 was a very nice surprise!

@janemulberry

Municipal Tax is based on a notional "tax value" of a property rather than what you actually paid; it supposedly represents the true market value (according to whom isn't clear). I came across this quaint notion years ago when I bought an apartment for way under its normal price - the tax you pay when purchasing a property also reflects the "real price", to stop any tax-dodging with under the table payments - in the circumstances I had no complaints 😁

@janemulberry

Yay! 45 lv, bargain! The days of a grand (and up) for Council Tax will soon be behind you. :-)

@JimJ

Well, it might have been the "true market value" once, I doubt anyone believes that now. :-) Like many countries, they find it's easier (and far cheaper) to increase revenue by changing the tax percentage in the municipality (charged on the value), rather than trying to do expensive objective re-valuations on a frequent basis. Some places do update the taxable value according to the sales price in the most recent notary act (and hence changes over time/transactions), but I don't know if Bulgaria does this.

@janemulberry
Yay! 45 lv, bargain! The days of a grand (and up) for Council Tax will soon be behind you. :-) - @gwynj

A grand? We should be so lucky! We live in a 1 bedroom starter home on a tiny sliver of land in a very ordinary commuter belt market town. Council tax is over 1600 GBP!

@JimJ

Interesting! Well, we did all the correct things. I checked that the notary paperwork and the tax form that the estate agent filled in for me to take to the municipality gave the correct purchase price, as I didn't want to start our life in Bulgaria with some petty lawbreaking!

So this year's council tax is a rise on the previous year, but not as steep as I expected. I am sure we paid more than the "real" value, whatever that is. A trade off I was willing to make for the convenience of pay-monthly and the very-much-appreciated assistance the seller's admin person provided and is still providing.

My property taxes in Plovdiv just posted, and I paid them all off immediately.

About 30% increase on last year, usual 5% discount for prompt payment. Ranging from 90 lv to 300 lv per apartment (including full year property tax and waste collection. For comparison, I paid 2,600 UKP for my dad's house Council Tax for this year.

I also got the water bill for our apartment, just 22 lv. And my windscreen washer died during my last Bansko trip, so I got that fixed. 60 lv including labour and the new pump.

We paid ours in Pomorie  when we requested our doc. 48lv

@RexTechGuy

Bargain. :-)