BULGARIA | Accommodation | Finding accommodation

General (student) housing situation

In Bulgaria, accommodation prices vary depending on region, location, and quality. Costs for self-catering accommodation per month may vary from 60 leva (approximately €30) in a dormitory room to 800 leva (approximately €400) or even more for a two-bedroom apartment, where energy, water, cable, and internet services will cost extra. In the dormitories, a student would normally share the room with 2-3 more people; sometimes toilets and showers are on the floor. If students rent an apartment, they usually share it too. Finding accommodation in September, when students return to college, can be difficult.

Student campus accommodation is quite limited in Bulgaria, and virtually impossible to obtain during the academic year unless you reserve it way in advance. It is more readily available in the summer months. Privately rented accommodation are more common. It is advisable to organize at least a week of temporary accommodation in Bulgaria before you arrive as it may take several days to find a place to stay.

Before you start looking for an accommodation, you should ask yourself a few questions:

Would I prefer to live on my own or share accommodation with others?
What is my budget?
Do I already have a preferred area where I would like to live?

Types of accommodation

Apartments/house sharing
Halls of Residence, usually organized through International Offices; this type of accommodation is usually near the campus and is comes with communal kitchens and facilities.

Finding accommodation

If you have not arranged your accommodation in advance, you will find advertisements for accommodation in local newspapers, online, on student notice boards and community notice boards in apartment buildings. The internet is also a popular tool for advertising rental accommodation. Keep in mind that ads are not always up to date, so you have to call and find out. In most cases, you have to deal with a real estate agent as the owners rarely advertise their places themselves. Estate agents can also be very helpful and you can go to their offices and view the rentals that they have available. In Bulgaria, estate agents do not usually charge a fee for organizing viewings and negotiating renting terms, but they will charge you if they find a place for you that you decide to rent. Very often, fellow students can help you find accommodation and are glad to do it.

Once you have found suitable accommodation that meets your needs and preferences, you should consider the following:

Is the accommodation secure? (Check the locks on doors and windows)
Is the accommodation multicultural?
Is the accommodation located near you place of work?
What is the public transport like?
What equipment is available in the accommodation (furniture, appliances), and is everything working?
What type of heating is it, and is there an extra charge for it?
Are there extra charges for electricity and water?
Do I have any allergies, for example to animals?