Go, but pay attention.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Varna at 66/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Bulgaria's national picture overall (74/100 vs 75/100).
City page · part of Bulgaria
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Varna 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
34.3
Safety Index
65.7
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Bulgaria's national page, with crime swapped for Varna's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Varna, specifically
- • Varna is in general a fairly safe place, though special caution should be taken in regards to the mafia.
- • Stay away from people offering money change on the street, as they are all cheaters.
- • If you are driving a car be careful where you stop because if you violate the parking restrictions, your car may be removed by the authorities and you will need to pay a penalty fee, not to mention losing a lot of time.
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 Varna at 66/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Bulgaria's national picture overall (74/100 vs 75/100).
See the full Bulgaria page and all receipts →