Tipping in Bulgaria
Tipping expectedService Breakdown
Notes by Service
10% is standard; tell the server the total when paying.
лв 5–10 per night for housekeeping.
Round up or add 10%.
10% is appreciated.
10% of tab.
10% is polite.
лв 10–20 per person for Sofia and Plovdiv tours.
лв 2–5 is appreciated.
About Tipping in Bulgaria
Bulgaria has not adopted the euro and remains on the Bulgarian lev (BGN) as of 2026. Tipping is expected across the tourist circuit — in Sofia, Plovdiv, and along the Black Sea coast — with 10% at restaurants being the standard.
Tip at sit-down restaurants (10%), with taxi drivers (rounding up or 10%), hotel porters and housekeeping, spa staff, and tour guides. Along the Black Sea resort coast at Sunny Beach and Nessebar, international tourism has made tip expectations high during the summer season.
Tell the server the total you want to pay when settling the bill, including the tip — this is the Bulgarian and broader Balkan convention. Cash in lev is preferred; card terminals at tourist-facing venues increasingly offer a tip option. Avoid card tips at small local restaurants where the tip may not reliably reach the server.
Bulgaria remains one of the EU's lowest-income member states, and service workers' wages in hospitality are modest by European standards. This makes a 10% tip particularly impactful — it represents a meaningful supplement to monthly income. The Black Sea coast draws large numbers of European package tourists, and service staff in resort areas have developed a professionalised approach to international guests alongside firm tip expectations.