The Bulgarian currency is the Lev (LB). Smaller coinage is the stotinka, with 100 stotinki (plural) making 1 Lev. Currently, 3 Lev makes about £1 (originally pegged to the Deutchmark). However, 3 Lev will go a lot further in most parts of Bulgaria than it will in the UK. For example, a bottle of beer from a store in Rousse will cost around the equivalent of 15/20 pence; in a nightclub you may pay up to 70 pence (2 Lev). Prices in the capital Sofia and the coastal resorts however are much higher, and resemble other European holiday spots such as Spain or the Greek islands.

Other examples of prices (taken from Rousse, early 2005 - may be higher in tourist places or nearer the capital or coastal resorts):

A 'cheap' suit can be bought for 90 Lev. That's about £30. A better quality suit however will set you back 135 Lev (approximately £45). 'Designer' shops may sell suits for up to 300 Lev (£100).

Shoes can usually be bought from as little as £8, with higher quality leather shoes selling for around the £20 - £30 ranges.

Prices of jeans can vary considerably, however, a typical price for a reasonable quality 'copy' (most have brands but are not necessarily the real thing!) is about 50 Lev (£17).

Food - a snack (cheese pastry 'banitsa', hotdog etc) from a roadside stall costs between 20 and 50 pence. A lunch time restaurant smaller meal for 2 people can cost between £5 and £10. An evening 'Mehana' (traditional restaurant) with multiple courses would cost anywhere between £15 and £25 (includes a bottle of wine).

You cannot however change money in the UK into Lev's. You will need to take travelers cheques, change UK cash over there or take money from ATMs. There are plenty of cash machines in Bulgaria which use the standard Maestro/Cirrus system. You may be limited to withdrawing 200Lev (approx £70) at once from most cash machines - however, if you reinsert your card you can withdraw again

Most other costs in Bulgaria are significantly cheaper than the UK, for example, renovation costs (see our renovation page). However, some things are as expensive, if not more so - for example, imported electrical goods such as TV's and stereo's, and second hand cars are relatively expensive in Bulgaria.

With EU membership planned for 2007/2008, the Lev will soon be replaced by the Euro.

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