TaipeiAccommodation
Good · #21 of 62
7.9/10
If booking a little in advance you should have no problem finding a good quality apartment at a great price by Western European standards.
BulgariaVisited Mar 2022 · 2 months
Sofia
A fantastic city to visit - only once all the snow has melted.
Great value
This guide was written 4 years ago
Prices, opening hours and recommendations may have changed since my visit, so double-check anything important before you book.
The capital of Bulgaria, is a city simultaneously embracing history and modernity.
A mix of ancient Roman, Ottoman, and Soviet influences can be identified creating a unique urban landscape.
If you're already in the Balkans, it's definitely worth a stay of up to a month during the warmer months. However, it would be towards the bottom of the list in winter.
At a glance
Coworking
Great · #18 of 62
8.2/10
The city has a big range of coworking options, from both independent operators to more corporate chains. There are no shortage of coffee shops to work from.
Value
Good · #38 of 62
7.5/10
General day to day expenses are considerably less than what you may expect in Western Europe, with lots of options for an inexpensive meals for lunch and dinner. More expensive than some of it's other Balkan neighbours.
Excitement
Good · #21 of 62
7.5/10
It would be a stretch to call Sofia an exciting city by global standards, but as the nation’s capital with over 1 million people, there’s a fair amount to see over the course of a month. Throughout the week, Vitosha Boulevard and the surrounding streets see a good level of foot traffic, and on weekends, areas like Doctors' Garden offer satisfying spots to enjoy.
Plan
Summary
Having spent a couple of months in Budapest and with aspirations of being in Greece over the summer, i was wary of running close to my Brexit enforced 90 day EU limit. Being one of the few options outside of the Schengen zone, Sofia provided a useful alternative.
Cost of living
$1,669a month, before rent
Basic living costs, rent not included
Day-to-day spending for a month: two meals out and a coffee every day, three taxis and two nights out a week, a gym and a coworking desk. Add your rent on top.
Very Affordable- Meal in a casual restaurant$16
- Speciality coffee$5.06
- Pint of local beer$5.06
- Cocktail$12
- Taxi for 2 miles$8.10
- Men's haircut$20
- Women's haircut$51
- Gym membership, monthly$47
- Coworking, monthly$203
Prices as of Oct 2026. Confidence: medium (gym & coworking verified; other prices restated at 2026-10-07 exchange rates). Sources: trade.ec.europa.eu, numbeo.com, betahaus.bg. Always check locally before planning around them.
Duration & season
I arrived in early March and the first two weeks were an awful mix of snow, rain and clouds. Vitosha Mountain which usually over the city was barely visible until half way through the month. From late March onwards the temperatures steadily rose leaving only faint scatters of snow on the mountains peak.
Unless you are explicitly looking for snow, it's difficult to make a compelling argument for visiting prior to April, where the city feels like it comes to life and the outdoor amenities can be fully enjoyed.
There's enough in Sofia to comfortably stay for a month.
By month
| Month | Low °C | High °C | Rain mm | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -3 | 7 | 32 | |
| February | -1 | 9 | 15 | |
| March | 1 | 18 | 51 | |
| April | 5 | 22 | 52 | |
| May | 8 | 22 | 91 | wet month · peak season |
| June | 16 | 32 | 18 | peak season |
| July | 18 | 35 | 16 | peak season |
| August | 17 | 33 | 27 | peak season |
| September | 11 | 28 | 24 | peak season |
| October | 5 | 20 | 97 | wet month |
| November | 0 | 14 | 75 | wet month |
| December | 0 | 6 | 55 |
Wettest months Peak season
Typical daytime highs and overnight lows, from the last two years of observations (Open-Meteo). Rain icons mark the wettest months.
- Visitors a year
- 778k2024
- Crowds
- Low
- Peak season
- May–Sep
- Low season
- Jan–Feb
Remote work visa
No digital nomad visa
Working hours
Bulgaria operates on Eastern European Time (EET), pushing it an hour ahead of Western Europe throughout the year.
Live & work
Where to stay
Not an enormous city, but I would recommend being in one of these two areas where you will be close to the best items the city has to offer.
City Center
RecommendedAbsolutely no harm in being as close to Viotsha Boulevard as possible. Plenty of options for coworking and nightlife within a 5 minute walk of Seredika underground station.
Doctors' Garden
RecommendedA beautifully sedate area, 15 minutes walk to the centre of town and loads of great cafes and bars situated within the area. Would highly recommend.
Where to work
The city has a big range of coworking options, from both independent operators to more corporate chains. There are no shortage of coffee shops to work from.
Korner Sofia Coworking
Good coffeeTop location
Situated a 2 minute walk from the bustle of Vitosha Boulevard, Korner Coworking provides a peaceful and homely base to work from whilst being in the centre of the city. Dedicated desks are available and the kitchen is equipped with a decent coffee machine.
The only drawback is that there is somewhat limited space for taking calls, however if this is not an issue then I would 100% recommend it. Plenty of great lunch and coffee options available within the immediate vicinity.
ul. "Knyaz Boris I" 86, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia, Bulgaria
Food & drink
Coffee
DABOV Specialty Coffee
Top rated
Small boutique chain with several outlets across the city doing great quality competition grade coffee served by highly knowledgeable staff.
Coffee and Wine Lab by Prodanichin
Great variety of speciality coffees and friendly service. Space to sit down and work from upstairs too.
Food
Sofiyska Banitsa
This was the best Banitsa I could find in the city. Perfect morning snack when paired with an Ayran.
Natur Baked & Raw
Tasty pastries and baked good as well as take-away coffee.
Drinks
Tom's Place
Bar in the Doctor's Garden area showing live sports with draught beers. Always a good crowd of locals and expats over the weekend.
HIGH FIVE Taproom
Top rated
I happened to be one of the first customers on their first night of business in March 2021 and was in practically every night after. Ran by two brothers Dennis and Mischa, they've got a great range of beers from across the region.
Off the clock
Off work
Visit St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Probably the city's most recogniseable landmark, a Bulgarian Orthodox church with Neo-Byzantine architecture & an underground museum.
Day trip to Plovdiv
Accessible within a few hours on the train, Plovdiv is one of Europe's oldest cities featuring a well-preserved Old Town with cobbled streets. Worth a day trip, especially if you have any interest in archeology,
Hike in Vitoshia Mountain
Enormous national park with an endless supply of hiking routes and some limited options for Skiing. Hiking up in winter can be challenging but look out for some log cabins selling hot drinks and food which make a welcome respite from the harsh conditions
Exercise
Cycle
Eurovelo 6
One of the worst signposted routes in the Eurovelo network, the quiet roads are ideal for meandering through the countryside. Bring lots of water with you.
Walk
Vitosha
Easily accessible from the centre of town, the mountain has an abundance of well marked route with great views once you reach the top. Treacherous if attempting over winter in the snow.
People
There is a sizeable international community in Sofia, particularly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine where those who have been displaced ave relocated to the city. It has also become a home to numerous Russian's who have relocated there in the previous decade leading up the recent events. There is a sizeable expat community with many European companies having chosen to set up base in the city.
There is a small remote work community in the city, but you are more likely to find people in Bankso, a two hour drive from Sofia which has become a hub for remote workers.
Notes
Positives
Surprisingly international audience.
Whilst it is by no means as multicultural as some other cities, there is a good mix of people from across Europe.
If travelling from Western Europe, great value.
Compared to many other European capitals it is still comparatively inexpensive, but more pricey than some other neighbouring counties in the Balkans.
The metro makes the city well connected.
It's not the most frequent service but it's cheap and you can pay with contactless and connects well to the airport.
Outside of the Schengen Zone.
If for whatever reason you have reached your limit of time available within the Schengen group of countries, Bulgaria is an alternative.
Negatives
It's really bleak in winter.
There were few benefits I could imagine being in Sofia before April time. My main memories of March were of snow filled streets and poor visibility.
Tips
Bansko is a renowned hub for remote workers.
I didn't make it up there but if you are looking to connect with people in a renowned hub, it would be worth exploring.
You can reach Istanbul via an overnight train.
It is comfortable but the prolonged border crossing in the middle of the night makes it something of an unpleasant journey.
The countryside is great for cycling.
The roads are mainly deserted and of reasonable quality, making it a great place to cover some ground. Train service makes it easy to get to a starting point and cycle back.
Well worth visitng for the Film Festival.
The Sofia Film Festival is in March of each year and is a well run event, with multiple cinemas across the city showing a range of regional and international films.
Planning a trip to Sofia?
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