What Are Prices Like on Bulgaria’s Southern Black Sea Coast This Year?

Expensive or still affordable? That is the question on which tourists and businesses are giving different answers at the height of the summer season. A Bulgarian National Television (BNT) survey along the southern Black Sea coast found that price differences can sometimes be significant, even within the same resort. Some visitors to Sunny Beach say prices have risen following Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro, while business representatives insist increases have been minimal.

One of the most popular fast-food options among tourists on Sunny Beach’s main promenades — the doner kebab — costs €8 this summer.

Mark, a tourist from the United Kingdom: “When Bulgaria had the lev, things were genuinely about half the price. We went out for dinner last night and paid €40 for two people.”

Some tourists also report higher prices in grocery shops. Outside one store, BNT met Julia, who left empty-handed.

Julia: “The prices are shocking. A carton of milk here costs €4. Just one carton of milk. That’s why we’re going to look in another shop.”

A check of fruit and vegetable stalls found cherries selling for €8.90 per kilogramme, while lower-quality cherries were priced at €2.90 per kilogramme.

Prodan Bozhinov: “It’s not possible. Eighteen leva — who is going to buy cherries for €9 or €10 a kilo? We’ll look for somewhere selling them for €3 or €4.”

Large price differences were also noted in restaurants.

Yonka Andonova, a resident of Nessebar: “In one restaurant, mackerel costs €4.50, while in another it costs €13. These kinds of pricing anomalies exist. We live in Nessebar, and the restaurants don’t have many customers.”

However, some establishments in Sunny Beach are offering what visitors consider good value.

Georgi Tonev, a restaurant manager: “A beer in the centre of Sunny Beach costs €1.69. That’s not expensive. Two vodkas with two colas cost €6. Last year they were €5.45. People still allow themselves to drink, but they rarely eat. All the hotels are all-inclusive, and increasingly poorer tourists are coming.”

Michael, a tourist from Ireland: “The prices here are good — about the same as in Ireland. We’re staying in a hotel further up the road, and we paid €10 more for breakfast there. And don’t get me started on taxis — they’re incredibly expensive.”

According to hotel operators in the resort, the increase in the price of some goods has been no more than 10%.

Theodor Pastarmadzhiev, a hotelier: “There has certainly been some increase compared with last summer, but as you know, that is happening across the country and throughout Europe. As far as Sunny Beach is concerned, I would argue that it is still considerably cheaper than many of Bulgaria’s large inland cities.”

Pavlina Dimitrova, a hotel manager: “None of our guests has said that it is expensive. On the contrary, I believe they find it quite budget-friendly. We have received absolutely no complaints about prices.”

Ultimately, the cost of a summer holiday depends on the choices each tourist makes.