Go, but pay attention.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Sofia at 61/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Bulgaria's national picture overall (73/100 vs 75/100).
City page · part of Bulgaria
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Sofia report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Bulgaria's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
38.6
Safety Index
61.4
The breakdown behind the number
What residents specifically worry about
Numbeo's own category breakdown — note some rows are framed as a worry/problem (higher = worse) and some as a safety rating (higher = better); read the label, not just the number.
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Bulgaria's national page, with crime swapped for Sofia's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Sofia, specifically
- • Generally, Sofia is a safe and walkable city, even at night.
- • Pedestrians should be careful since many Bulgarian drivers do not yield right of way to those on foot.
- • Do not get into conflict with football fan groups if they seem drunk and aggressive. Avoid wearing football shirts or scarves of the Sofia-based football teams, especially on match days.
- • Be wary of petty thieves and poorer neighborhoods, as pick pocketing and thefts are common.
- • If you get in legal trouble, the Bulgarian police and judiciary may not protect you adequately because of corruption and nepotism.
Legal status (national law)
Legal since 1968; equal age of consent since 2002 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 or 166 / ambulance: 112 or 150 / fire: 112 or 160
Tipping
Waiters in Bulgaria usually get paid a minimum wage, because they make up the rest of their salary on tips (bakshish, бакшиш). Tips are not added to the bill, so give 5-10% if you like. However, many restaurants are run by their staff, so it is not necessary to tip.
Cash vs. Card
Bulgaria adopted the euro as its national currency on 1 January 2026, replacing the lev (лев, plural: leva), which had been the national currency since 1880 and denoted by the symbol "лв". The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will continue to exchange free of charge any remaining lev banknotes and coins indefinitely.
How this compares to Bulgaria
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Sofia at 61/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Bulgaria's national picture overall (73/100 vs 75/100).
See the full Bulgaria page and all receipts →