Bulgaria
Currency in Bulgaria: what to use and how to exchange
Bulgaria uses the euro (EUR, €) from 1 January 2026, replacing the lev (BGN). Bring a card for almost everything and a small cash float for markets, tips and rural buses. Change money only at a bank or a posted-rate exchange office, never at a street kiosk offering a better rate.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
GuideBulgaria
Key facts
- Currency
- Euro (EUR, €) since 1 January 2026; the lev (BGN) is no longer legal tender
- Old lev cashcheck
- Leftover BGN notes and coins need a bank; shops no longer accept them
- Cards
- Visa and Mastercard accepted in hotels, supermarkets, chain cafés and most restaurants in Sofia, Plovdiv and the coast
- Cash still needed
- Markets, small village shops, some taxis, tips, and buses bought from the driver
- Best exchange
- Bank branch or an exchange office with a posted commission-free rate; compare the buy rate, not the sign
- Avoid
- Street kiosks and touts advertising rates far above the official one
- ATM withdrawal
- Local bank ATMs are the usual way to get cash; decline the machine's own conversion and let your bank convert
- Cards accepted at ATMscheck
- Visa and Mastercard widely; American Express less so
Details
Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so the practical question is no longer which currency to carry but how to get it and where to spend it. Prices you see in older guides in lev (BGN) are historical; the fixed conversion was about 1.96 lev to the euro, so a 10 lev coffee was roughly €5. Treat any 2025 lev price as a rough guide only.
Cards work well in cities and resorts. Hotels, supermarkets, pharmacy chains, fuel stations and most restaurants in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and the ski towns take contactless Visa and Mastercard. Outside those, especially in villages, small guesthouses and mountain huts, cash is the norm. Carry €30–50 in small notes as a float and top it up when you pass a bank.
For cash, use a bank branch or an exchange office that displays its rate and commission on a board outside. Compare the rate you are actually offered against the official one before handing over money. Kiosks and individuals offering noticeably better rates are the classic trap: they count your notes, short-change you or add a commission after the fact. If a rate looks too good, walk away.
ATMs are everywhere in cities and at the coast. Use one attached to a bank branch during opening hours where possible, and if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline: letting your own bank do the conversion is usually cheaper. Withdraw larger amounts less often to limit fixed fees.
Leftover lev is a separate problem. Shops stopped accepting BGN at the changeover, so old notes and coins need a bank. If you are holding lev from an earlier trip, exchange it at a bank branch rather than trying to spend it.
Summary table
- Carry a mix: one card, one backup card, and €30–50 cash.
- Photograph your card numbers and keep them separate from the cards.
- Tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires it.
| Situation | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, supermarkets, city restaurants | Card (Visa or Mastercard) | Contactless is standard |
| Markets, small shops, village buses | Cash in euro | Keep small notes |
| Getting cash | Bank ATM | Decline the ATM's own currency conversion |
| Changing foreign cash | Bank or posted-rate exchange office | Check the rate and commission first |
| Leftover lev (BGN) | Bank branch | No longer accepted in shops |
| Tipping | Cash | About 10% in restaurants |
Rates and card acceptance vary by place; confirm at the counter (check).
Tips
Do not arrive with a wallet full of lev. If you still have BGN, plan a bank visit in your first day or two rather than discovering at a till that it is worthless.
Small notes matter more than a good rate. A €50 note can be hard to break in a village shop or on a bus, so ask for smaller denominations when you withdraw or exchange.
Prices in tourist areas of Sofia and the coast are closer to Western European levels than the rest of the country; inland towns and the Rhodopes are cheaper. See the budget page for daily figures.
Keep a card separate from your cash. If one is lost or blocked, the other still works.
Check your card's foreign transaction fee before you go; a no-fee card saves several percent over a two-week trip.
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Bulgaria?
The euro (EUR, €). Bulgaria adopted it on 1 January 2026, replacing the lev (BGN). Old lev notes and coins are no longer accepted in shops and must be exchanged at a bank.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Bulgaria?
A bank branch or an exchange office with a posted rate and commission. Compare the offered rate with the official one first. Avoid street kiosks and anyone advertising a rate far above the official one.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Bulgaria?
Use a card for hotels, supermarkets and city restaurants, and carry €30–50 in small notes for markets, village shops, taxis and tips. Withdraw extra cash from a bank ATM when you need it.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialBulgarian National Bank
- officialEuropean Central Bank – euro
- officialEuropean Commission – Bulgaria and the euro
- secondaryWikivoyage – Bulgaria