Sofia

What you need to know about Sofia

By Expat Guru Last Updated:

About Sofia

I love Bulgaria, but Sofia wasn't my favorite part by far. It is quite an ugly city, mostly flat and grey in color. There are some decent hostel, decent bars and nightlife, but not really much for the tourist to do. Yes, the women are very attractive, and it's cheap to rent there... but why would you want to? I had a great time down on Varna, and along the coast of the black sea. Sofia is worth a visit or a place to stay a few weeks, but I wouldn't want to live there personally.

Nomad Guide of Sofia

Explore Sofia like a local with our comprehensive nomad guide. Find the best places to work, live, and play, all tailored to the digital nomad lifestyle. Stay connected and make the most of your time in Sofia with our insider tips and recommendations.

Continent :

Europe

Country :

bulgaria

Weather :

15°C + Humidity 65% = 15°C Feel

Internet Speed :

17 Mbps

Insurance :

Safetywing

Air Quality :

37AQI

Best Neighborhood :

Sredec

Upcoming Neighborhood :

Krasno selo

Power :

230V50Hz

Average Trip Length :

8 Days

Best Taxi App :

TaxiMe

10 BGN to USD :

$5.02 USD

Tap Water Quality :

Yes, safe to drink

Visitor per year :

1010000 Visitors

Tourist now :

19357 tourists

Population :

1236047 people

GDP per capita :

$7465 / year

Population Density :

Gender Ratio (Expats) :

H 45% / F 55%

Religious Gouvernment :

Non-religious

Appartement Listing :

Imoti

Online electronics shop :

Emag


Weather in Sofia

Stay updated on the weather in Sofia with our reliable data source. Plan ahead for changing conditions and make the most of your time in the city. Check the forecast and stay prepared for any weather events.


Cost of Living in Sofia

Discover the cost of living in Sofia with our data source. Compare expenses for housing, food, transportation, and more to make informed decisions about your budget. Stay informed and make the most of your money in Sofia.

Cost of Living for Expats :

$1,432/mo

Cost of Living for Nomads :

$2,050/mo

Cost of Living for Families :

$3,076/mo

Cost of Living for Local :

$879/mo

Cost of coffee :

$1.26

Rent for 1 bedroom :

$751/mo

Dinner:

$7.89

Beer :

$2.75

Coca Cola :

$1.04

Tax for 50k income :

$

Tax for 100k income :

$

Tax for 250k income :

$


Pros and Cons Living in Sofia

Like many other cities Sofia have a lot of advantages to offer its residents and visitors, but it also has its fair share of drawbacks. We have made this pros and cons table to help you better vizualize them.

Pros

  • ✅ Pretty safe
  • ✅ Fast internet
  • ✅ Good air quality today
  • ✅ Nomad List members liked going here a lot
  • ✅ Many Nomad List members here all year round
  • ✅ Spacious and not crowded
  • ✅ Easy to do business
  • ✅ High quality of education
  • ✅ Great hospitals
  • ✅ Roads are very safe
  • ✅ Democratic
  • ✅ Safe for women
  • ✅ Family friendly

Cons

  • ❌ Freedom of speech is weak
  • ❌ Not much to do
  • ❌ Gets cold in the winter
  • ❌ People don't speak English well
  • ❌ Hostile towards LGBTQ+
  • ❌ Many people smoke tobacco

Quality of Life in Sofia

No Data for now.


Visa Requirements in Sofia

No Data for now.


Security and Crime in Sofia

Stay informed on security and crime in Sofia with updated information on crime rates, types of crimes and measures being taken. Ensure personal safety by staying informed and taking steps to protect yourself and loved ones. Help keep Sofia safe.

020406080100

Low Crime rate

020406080100

High Security Index


Polution and Air Quality in Sofia

Stay informed about the air quality and pollution levels in Sofia. Our data source provides up-to-date information on various pollutants and their effects on health and the environment. By monitoring the air quality in Sofia, you can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of pollution.

Similar cities to Sofia

Discover cities that are similar to Sofia in terms of attractions and amenities. Our hand-picked list includes locations with similar cultural settings, recreational activities, and high-quality lodgings. These cities are worth visiting if you're looking for a place with a similar atmosphere or just a change of scenery. Plan your next urban journey by visiting these similar cities.

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Berlin

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#6

Air Quality
Good
wifi

36

Mbps

FEELS 21°

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$3,637/mo

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Bangkok

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#4

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

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FEELS 33°

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Lisbon

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#1

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wifi

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FEELS 22°

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Chiang Mai

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#8

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

17

Mbps

FEELS 35°

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$1,222/mo

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White and Brown Concrete Building

Istanbul

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#16

Air Quality
Good
wifi

6

Mbps

FEELS 19°

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$2,142/mo

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Body Of Water During Sunset

Belgrade

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#19

Air Quality
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wifi

24

Mbps

FEELS 19°

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$2,114/mo

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Free stock photo of acropolis, ancient, ancient roman architecture

Athens

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#73

Air Quality
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wifi

9

Mbps

FEELS 21°

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$3,528/mo

Trending

Green and Brown Building Near Body of Water

Amsterdam

Netherlands

#141

Air Quality
Good
wifi

14

Mbps

FEELS 15°

15°

$6,366/mo

Cities near Sofia to visit

There are several cities and places close to Sofia worth your visit. In addition to sightseeing in Sofia, spare some time to discover the surroundings of the city.
You can discover Belgrade, Plovdiv, Bansko, Nis, and Craiova, who are a few kilometres away either by car or public transport.

Trending

Body Of Water During Sunset

Belgrade

Serbia

#19

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

24

Mbps

FEELS 19°

19°

$2,114/mo

Trending

Panorama of Plovdiv, Bulgaria at Sunset

Plovdiv

Bulgaria

#37

Air Quality
Good
wifi

17

Mbps

FEELS 18°

18°

$1,683/mo

Trending

Rocky Mountain Under Blue Sky

Bansko

Bulgaria

#57

Air Quality
Good
wifi

17

Mbps

FEELS 16°

16°

$2,109/mo

Trending

Building of the University of Nis in Serbia

Nis

Serbia

#81

Air Quality
Unhealthy
wifi

18

Mbps

FEELS 18°

18°

$1,309/mo

Trending

People Walking on Street Near Brown Concrete Building

Craiova

Romania

#169

Air Quality
Good
wifi

28

Mbps

FEELS 16°

16°

$1,405/mo

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People Walking on Street Near Brown Concrete Building

Ploiesti

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#51

Air Quality
Good
wifi

27

Mbps

FEELS 16°

16°

$1,462/mo

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People Walking on the Street

Bucharest

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#93

Air Quality
Good
wifi

38

Mbps

FEELS 16°

16°

$1,840/mo

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Woman Talking on the Phone Crossing the Street

Skopje

North Macedonia

#97

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

9

Mbps

FEELS 18°

18°

$1,178/mo

Reviews of Sofia - Feedback from travelers

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Discussion (13)

0

I love Bulgaria, but Sofia wasn't my favorite part by far. It is quite an ugly city, mostly flat and grey in color. There are some decent hostel, decent bars and nightlife, but not really much for the tourist to do. Yes, the women are very attractive, and it's cheap to rent there... but why would you want to? I had a great time down on Varna, and along the coast of the black sea. Sofia is worth a visit or a place to stay a few weeks, but I wouldn't want to live there personally.

0

Its time to make a review about my hometown. I lived many years in Sofia and Varna, so you can trust my review as a Bulgarian who lived in longterm in Vietnam, Germany, Thailand, Spain etc...1. Bulgaria is amazing in the Summer. (Varna!) Sofia is not. Will get boring super fast.2. Life is a lot cheaper as listed here. 3. 90% of Bulgarians are racists and hate GAY people. Lesbians are tolerated.4. Food is amazing and cheap5. Its dirty and poluted6. People will try scam you (not only foreigners even locals get scammed). You can get beat up pretty easily without a real reason. My friend (local from Sofia) got destroyed by the security, for putting a Flower Vase in the nightclub to another spot as an example. 7. Fake Alcohol is even common in the best nightclubs. You are never safe to order a expensive bottle. Only the cheapest Vodka is always safe because not worth faking it.8. Women are STUNNING but english level is low. So you will have a hard time finding non gold digger that are more than 7/10 on the looks.If you are a white male, you will have fun! If not better avoid it for more long term visits.

0

Sofia is a small city and it is very polluted. In fact it is one of the most polluted cities in Europe. The restaurants and bars are ok. For the rest there is not a lot to do. After a couple of days you have seen it all. The people are ok but Sofia misses an international vibe. Lets be honest here, you mostly get where you pay for.

0

Sofia is one of the most amazing cities ever, it has old buildings because of the low economic status of the country, but the main cause is from the low number of tourists visiting this lovely country. The food is amazing and cheap, the population is very fun, but they are a little bit homophobics and racists (not everyone, but there are a lot of people who really are). Bulgaria has amazing views, parks, coffeehouses and of course the most beautiful beaches and sunsets, the temperature of the water is around 27°, which is really warm compared to the ocean temperature. All day and night the city center has open mini markets and coffeehouses, you will see a lot of Bulgarians having fun out there. It is a great country to visit.

0

I lived in Sofia for 3 months and I loved it. The food scene is amazing; quality food in very cheap price. Very calm atmosphere with a lot of nature. Park everywhere! As Asian, I felt the least racism in the region. However, I did see a lot of Swastikas everywhere, even on a guy's calf. The city center has some cool bars.

0

I really enjoyed my ten days in Sofia. It was early Sept and the students were just arriving, so it wasn't too busy. At first glance it seemed sort of dead, and boring. But since I'd been all over Bulgaria I knew that most of the gems would be hidden, so I asked locals. Then I found cool nightlife spots, good cafe's, and met a few girls to date. It's close to the mountains and there is hiking and winter sports. Sofia doesn't have the vibe of a top tier Euro city, but if you're a single man looking for an easy place to find a beautiful apartment for cheap, and maybe a beautiful girlfriend, Sofia could be up your alley. And if not, there are many cool places nearby, like Plovdiv, Banksko, and Varna further down.

0

Sofia is a pretty cool city if you know where to go. It's also next to high mountains (ski available) and feels very green. However, Bulgaria has a very strongly marked Soviet past, so it might be a bit of a shock to some.

0

Incredible cheap, great food (if you like meat) and lots of parks. Many bars and coffee shops in the city centre. Downside: Many aggressive gipsy's and beggars. Bulgarian people rather rude and everybody is staring at you uncomfortably long.

0

Sofia is quite peaceful despite the medium to heavy traffic. It is very easy to travel this city, even without the metro, but public transportation is simple as well. Many beautiful parks, and access to wifi, make it easy to work anywhere. My favorite part is grabbing a coffee for .40 lev and getting to work. Also, grabbing a beer and lounging anywhere in the city is no concern. There are also plenty of outdoor, free events to experience if you want to meet other people, or travelers. Price of clothing and electronics is comparable to US/UK standard, some places even charge more. For this reason, I recommend having a good idea of the price range for any items you are looking to purchase.