Guides
Paying in Bulgaria
Bulgaria uses the euro. The lev is gone from daily spending, cards work almost everywhere, and one screen at the cash machine is worth knowing about before you land.
The short version
Bulgaria's currency is the Euro, adopted on2026-01-01. Cards work in cities and resorts, small kiosks and some buses want cash, and the usual tipping habit is 5 to 10 per cent in restaurants, rounding up for taxis.
None of this is complicated, and most of it is the same as anywhere else in the eurozone. The two things worth reading before you land are what you might still see printed in lev, and the ATM screen that tries to charge you in the wrong currency.
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Bulgaria's currency: the euro
Bulgaria adopted the euro as its official currency on 2026-01-01. Every price, wage and bank balance in the country now runs in euro, the same currency as most of the rest of the EU.
For a visitor this means no separate holiday currency to buy in advance if you already carry euro, and a card issued anywhere in the eurozone works exactly as it does at home, without a conversion step at the point of sale.
What happened to the lev
The Bulgarian lev is no longer legal tender. It was permanently fixed atBulgarian lev (BGN), fixed at 1.95583 to the euro before the changeover, so any old lev figure converts to euro at that exact rate.
The fixed rate matters mainly for arithmetic, not for spending: you cannot pay in lev, and there is no reason to hold on to any. If you are handed lev coins as change anywhere, treat it as a mistake worth pointing out rather than currency you can spend.
Will you still see lev prices
Yes, occasionally. Some older printed menus, market stalls and small shops have not reprinted their price lists since the changeover, and a lev figure can still appear alongside or instead of the euro price.
Where both currencies are shown, the euro figure is the one that applies. Where only a lev figure is shown, divide by 1.95583, or round it down by roughly half as a quick mental check before you ask staff to confirm the euro price.
Cards or cash
Cards are widely accepted in Bulgarian cities and coastal resorts, including most restaurants, hotels and larger shops. Carry some cash anyway, small kiosks, market stalls and some buses still expect it.
A contactless card or phone covers the large majority of a normal day on this coast. The exceptions are small and predictable: a beach kiosk, a street vendor, a public bus without a card reader fitted. A modest amount of cash covers all of them without needing to plan for it in detail.
Tipping in Bulgaria
Tipping in Bulgaria typically follows one pattern: 5 to 10 per cent in restaurants, rounding up for taxis. Neither is compulsory, and a service charge is rarely added to the bill automatically, so check before tipping twice.
For taxis, rounding the fare up to a round number is the common local habit rather than a fixed percentage. For hotel and bar staff, a tip is appreciated rather than expected, and nobody will chase you for one.
The one ATM screen to watch
Some cash machines and card terminals offer to convert your withdrawal or payment into your home currency instead of euro. Always decline it and choose to be charged in euro.
This is dynamic currency conversion, and the rate the machine offers is set by its operator rather than your card issuer, and is reliably worse. It is one screen and one button press, covered alongside the other patterns worth knowing about oncommon scams in Burgas.
Common questions
- What currency does Bulgaria use?
- The euro. Bulgaria adopted it as its official currency on 1 January 2026, replacing the Bulgarian lev.
- Can I still use the Bulgarian lev?
- No, the lev is no longer legal tender. It was permanently fixed at 1.95583 to the euro before the changeover, so old lev prices convert at that exact rate if you ever need to check one.
- Will menus and price lists still show lev prices?
- Some older printed menus and price lists have not been reprinted yet and may still show lev alongside or instead of euro. Whether dual display is still a legal requirement in May 2027 is not yet confirmed.
- Are cards accepted everywhere in Bulgaria?
- Cards are widely accepted in cities and resorts, including most restaurants, hotels and larger shops. Small kiosks, some market stalls and older buses are more likely to be cash only, so carry some.
- How much should I tip in Bulgaria?
- Five to ten per cent in restaurants is common practice, and rounding up the fare is usual for taxis. Neither is compulsory, and service charges are rarely added automatically to the bill.