Where to buy in Bulgaria: the coast or the city? Market and rental analysis

This is probably the main question my clients ask: "Should I buy a studio by the sea or a flat in the city?" The answer depends on why you are buying: to live, to rent out or both. Let's look at the numbers.

What a square metre costs

According to early-2026 data (Bulgarian Properties):

• Sofia: about €2,500 per m²;
• Varna: about €1,900;
• Burgas: about €1,700;
• Plovdiv: about €1,520.

In resorts such as Sunny Beach, studios and one-bedroom flats cost €1,500 to €2,900 per m², depending on the distance to the sea and the state of the complex.

Long-term rentals: the city wins

In a city, a flat is rented all year round: students, IT staff, families, doctors, the military. The average gross yield in the country is about 4.2% a year, about 4.6% in Burgas and about 3.8% in Sofia (Global Property Guide). The pluses: steady monthly income, little hassle and no empty winter months.

Short-term rentals: resort and season

On the coast, most income comes in 8 to 10 summer weeks. At the peak, nightly rentals pay well, but from October to May resort villages are almost empty. After costs, the net yield in Sunny Beach is often around 3–3.5%, less than many buyers expect.

What to keep in mind:

• Registration under the Tourism Act: categorising the property and paying the municipal tourist tax.
• The complex maintenance fee for the pool, security and grounds. You pay it all year, even if you do not rent.
• Management: check-ins, cleaning, linen and reviews. Without a management company it is almost a job.
• New EU rules on short-term rentals tighten registration and data sharing with platforms.

The happy medium

A city by the sea gives you both year-round life and a summer season.

Burgas, Varna, Pomorie and Sozopol combine both worlds: in winter you can rent long term, and in summer by the night or live there yourself. That is why Burgas became one of the leaders in price growth in 2026.

My conclusion

• For living and calm income: a flat in a seaside city, in a residential district.
• For summer holidays with a little income: a studio in a good resort complex with a fair fee.
• Purely as an investment: count the net income after tax, fees and management, not the attractive figure from an advert.

If you like, I will work out the real income for specific properties in Burgas and along the whole coast.