Buying an apartment in Sofia: prices, neighbourhoods and tips before you invest

Price per square metre by neighbourhood, the Bulgarian market's trend and the steps of a purchase: what to know before buying an apartment in Sofia.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

17 August 2023

Updated on

6 October 2026

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Buying an apartment in Sofia in 2026 means entering a market where prices are rising fast while sales are falling. According to Eurostat, housing prices in Bulgaria rose 15.5% over one year in the second quarter of 2026 (provisional figure), one of the largest increases in the European Union. At the same time, the number of homes sold fell 18.1% over one year.

In Sofia, asking prices vary by a factor of two depending on the neighbourhood. According to the imot.bg portal's figures at 1 October 2026, the price per square metre is around €1,900 in Lyulin 5, on the western outskirts, against about €4,030 in Lozenets and €4,610 in Izgrev. Since 1 January 2026, Bulgaria has been part of the eurozone: prices, loans and deeds are now expressed in euros.

Before you start, you therefore need to know the gaps between neighbourhoods, the difference between the listed price and the signed price, and the checks to make on the property and on the seller.

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The Sofia property market in figures

Sharply rising prices

The housing price index published by Eurostat shows a continuous annual increase in Bulgaria: 15.4% in the third quarter of 2025, 12.6% in the fourth, 14.8% in the first quarter of 2026 and 15.5% in the second. These figures cover the whole country: for Sofia, the most telling approach remains comparing prices neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

The index tracking the acquisition costs of new homes for households rose 11.7% over one year in the second quarter of 2026, the second-largest increase in the European Union after Croatia, and 4.3% over the quarter alone, according to Eurostat data reported by the BTA agency.

Falling sales

The number of homes sold in Bulgaria fell 18.1% over one year in the second quarter of 2026, after drops of 18.5% in the first quarter and 22.5% in the last quarter of 2025. Over the whole of 2025, sales fell 2.5%, driven by existing homes (down 5%), while sales of new homes rose.

Listed price and signed price

The amounts on this page are asking prices in listings, calculated as medians by imot.bg. The price finally signed may be lower after negotiation. Always compare several properties of the same type in the same neighbourhood before making an offer.

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What budget by neighbourhood?

Median asking prices at 1 October 2026 according to imot.bg, in euros per square metre, and the median price of a two-room flat (living room and one bedroom, called a "dvustaen"):

Izgrev: about €4,610/m², two-room flat around €330,700.
Iztok: about €4,230/m², two-room flat around €255,500. Quiet residential neighbourhood, popular with families, close to international schools.
Lozenets: about €4,030/m², two-room flat around €299,300. Residential, green, close to the centre and served by the metro.
Oborishte: about €3,990/m², two-room flat around €295,600. Elegant, quiet, near the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and many embassies.
Centre (Tsentar): about €3,510/m², two-room flat around €253,900.
Mladost 1: about €2,890/m², two-room flat around €199,300. Modern neighbourhood served by the metro, close to Business Park Sofia.
Manastirski Livadi: about €2,880/m², two-room flat around €221,500. Lots of recent construction, slightly off-centre.
Studentski Grad: about €2,690/m², two-room flat around €185,400. Lively student neighbourhood.
Lyulin 5: about €1,900/m², two-room flat around €135,300. Western outskirts, the lowest prices in this selection.

Proximity to a metro station affects the price as well as how easy it is to resell or let later. If you are buying to let, remember that the vast majority of apartments rented in Sofia are furnished: plan for this furnishing budget.

The steps of a purchase and the pitfalls to avoid

Set your total budget: price, transaction costs, any intermediary fees, furnishing and works. If you borrow, compare offers from several banks.
Check the ownership of the property: the history and any encumbrances (mortgage, seizure) are recorded in the land register (Imoten registar) kept by the Registry Agency. Have this check done by a lawyer independent of the seller.
For a new-build, ask where the building permit and the building's occupancy authorisation stand, and pay the planned instalments only at construction stages clearly defined in the contract.
Sign a written preliminary contract that specifies the price, the deposit, the timetable and the conditions under which the deposit is returned to you.
Complete the final deed before a notary, with a translation if you do not read Bulgarian.

The most common pitfalls:

Relying on the listing price alone without comparing it with equivalent properties in the neighbourhood.
Paying before checking the title deed and the seller's identity.
Buying without visiting the building and the neighbourhood, by day and by night.
Forgetting your personal situation: the rules may differ for buyers who are not citizens of the European Union, notably for land. Have them checked before any offer.

Buying in Sofia with support on the ground

Buying remotely, in a language and an alphabet you do not master, means sorting through many listings and carrying out rigorous checks. A Remoters home finder based in Sofia can search for the properties that match your budget, visit them, compare neighbourhood prices and support you through to signing, alongside your lawyer and the notary. The first conversation and the quote are free.