A month in Sofia

No official statistic on monthly rents in Sofia was found, and no reputable source on deposits or utilities, so this guide gives no figures for them. The fixed costs that are known come from the city, the road toll company and the platforms.

The tourist tax is charged on each overnight stay, with no cap in the city ordinance: 30 nights for one guest come to EUR 15.30 in a registered guest apartment or a 1-star hotel, at EUR 0.51 a night, and EUR 30.60 at 3 stars, at EUR 1.02.

On Airbnb, 28 nights or more is a monthly stay: the first month is charged up front and released to the host 24 hours after check-in, and each later month is charged 10 days before it starts. With a car for day trips, the monthly e-vignette costs EUR 19.90 since 1 August 2026.

Oborishte and Lozenets are residential districts close to the centre, about 2 and 5 km away, which suits a month in an apartment with the sights within reach. Mladost suits a month of work near Business Park Sofia and the airport.

Boyana and Dragalevtsi suit a quiet month at the foot of Vitosha for anyone who drives to the centre. The centre itself suits a short stay better than a month with a car, because the paid zones cover it.

Parking is the question to settle before paying. Residents of the paid zones can hold e-stickers for local parking, tied to the address of their home; whether a tenant on a monthly rental qualifies was not verified, so ask the host whether a space comes with the flat.

Bulgaria has been in the Schengen area since 1 January 2025. Visitors from outside the EU without a visa can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across every country that uses the EU Entry/Exit System, Bulgaria included.

Every host reports guests to the Unified Tourism Information System, with the name, date of birth, citizenship and the number of the identity document. EU citizens staying more than three months may be required to register their residence, according to the EU's Your Europe portal; the Bulgarian office and deadline were not checked.

Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026 at EUR 1 = 1.95583 lev. Lev cash circulated alongside it only until 31 January 2026; banks and post offices exchange leva until the end of 2026, free of charge until 30 June, and the Bulgarian National Bank without a time limit.

Airbnb calls 28 nights or more a monthly stay and applies its long-term cancellation policy, which generally asks for 30 days' notice of changes.

The Sofia rules read for this guide draw no separate line for a month: the city ordinance charges the tourist tax on each night in a categorised or registered place to stay, and the host reports the guest to the national system. A month in a registered guest apartment is still a tourist stay for the tax.

Relying on a parking price from the news. The 2026 reform is suspended by the courts, so the sign on the street is the reference.

Paying for parking by SMS with a foreign phone. It is set up for Bulgarian numbers.

Driving a car in the winter low-emission zone without checking it: the zone runs from 1 December to the end of February and targets the oldest cars.

Taking the motorway without an e-vignette. Ask the rental company first.

Counting Schengen days in Bulgaria alone. The 90 in 180 count covers every country using the EU Entry/Exit System.