Europe

Money, cards and tipping in Bulgaria

Capital: SofiaBulgarian, TurkishUpdated October 2026

EUREuro

Money in Bulgaria

Mixed: cards and cash Euro since 1 January 2026; shops no longer take leva. Cards are widely used in cities and resorts; cash for markets, mountain huts and villages. US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Around 10% in restaurants is customary; round up taxi fares. In resorts, check whether service is already on the bill.
ATMs: Avoid Euronet ATMs with high fees; use bank ATMs and always decline currency conversion.
Paying by phone: Apple Pay and Google Pay work at contactless terminals almost everywhere in cities.
Price level: about 46% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Sofia	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work almost everywhere in the center; keep small euro notes for markets, kiosks and some taxis.
Plovdiv	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most cafés, restaurants and shops; carry cash for markets, small kiosks and some taxis.
Bansko	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most restaurants, shops and the gondola; keep cash for mountain huts, small cafés and taxis.
Varna	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most restaurants, shops and cafés; keep cash for markets, beach kiosks and some taxis.
Sunny Beach	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most resort bars, hotels and shops; keep cash for small kiosks, beach stalls and some taxis.
Nessebar	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most restaurants and shops; keep cash for small stalls, markets and some taxis.
Golden Sands	Mixed: cards and cash	Euro is used. Cards work in hotels, supermarkets and most restaurants; carry cash for small beach bars, buses and taxis.
Veliko Tarnovo	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most restaurants, shops and hotels; keep cash for markets, kiosks and some taxis.
Sozopol	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and contactless work in most restaurants and shops; keep cash for small stalls, beach kiosks and some taxis.
Burgas	Mixed: cards and cash	Euro is used. Cards work in supermarkets, malls and most restaurants; carry cash for markets, small cafés and buses.
Borovets	Mixed: cards and cash	Euro is used. Cards work in hotels and shops; carry cash for small bars, buses, taxis and mountain huts.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Bulgaria?

Around 10% in restaurants is customary; round up taxi fares. In resorts, check whether service is already on the bill.

Is Bulgaria cashless?

Mixed: cards and cash. Euro since 1 January 2026; shops no longer take leva. Cards are widely used in cities and resorts; cash for markets, mountain huts and villages.

What currency does Bulgaria use?

The Euro (EUR). US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.