Is Bulgaria Safe for Women?
Safety rating
Women living in Bulgaria consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 3.8 out of 5.
Crime rating
Women living in Bulgaria consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 2 out of 5.
Violence rating
On average 18.3% percentage of women in Bulgaria have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.
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Crime & Safety Statistics
Based on 94 experiences
Safety rating: | 3.8/5 | Safe |
Safety walking alone after dark: | 3.3/5 | Moderate |
Safety using public transport: | 4.3/5 | Safe |
Crime rate: | 2/5 | Low |
Worries of being sexually harassed: | 2.1/5 | A bit worried |
Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped: | 1.7/5 | A bit worried |
Worries of being physically attacked: | 1.9/5 | A bit worried |
Worries of home broken and things stolen: | 1.4/5 | Not at all worried |
Worries of being mugged or robbed: | 1.8/5 | A bit worried |
Worries of being kidnapped or murdered: | 1.4/5 | Not at all worried |
How safe is Bulgaria?
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is rather safe for a woman. However, I prefer to warn that for non-white people it is unfortunately much more complicated. My boyfriend is black, and we face a lot of stares that we mostly interpret as curiosity in general since we haven't seen any people of color since our arrival. On the other hand, we experienced a serious incident that shows you have to be very careful depending on who you come across (a nazi salute directed at us + insults in Bulgarian). So, for a white woman it is generally quite safe to walk around, but I give a huge warning about the pervasive racism, notably due to the rise of the far right with nazi influences in the country. From what we have seen, there are indeed groups to watch out for.
Posted: September 7, 2025Sofia
There are areas which could be more dengerous, a lot of abandoned places, for example around the railway station but there are also a lot of really nice and helpful people who are ready to help. They often try to speak English or communicate even if they don't speak well. My expirience is quite good in general
Posted: September 2, 2025
Martina
Sofia
Generally I found Sofia safe enough. It will never be Asia, but I feel safer here walking at night than I ever felt in Italy. There’re the occasionally drunks around, but they usually don’t bother anyone.
Posted: August 28, 2025
Mirella
Pazardzhik
The city is not that big and there is police car in almost at every quarter during the night. There are no reports for crimes for sexual abuse or missing people since years. The city is calm, the people here - also.
Posted: August 20, 2025
Maggie
Sofia
I think it's fairly safe, compared to other capitals. It's important to be aware of your surroundings, avoid the area of Lavov most, NDK and paradise mall after midnight. If you're driving, be extra careful, the road is dangerous here.
Posted: August 12, 2025Is Bulgaria worth visiting?
Travel rating
based on 39 experiences from female travelers
Sofia, Solo travel
I met a lot of very interesting and kind people, eat a lot of good, local and traditional food. I really recommend bulgarian kitchen and atmosphere, it's really cozy i nice. Visited some atmospheric places, bars and interesting attractions:)
Posted: September 3, 2025Experienced: July, 2025Safety in Bulgaria
Frequently asked questions
Is Bulgaria safe?
Is Bulgaria safe to walk alone at night?
Is public transport safe in Bulgaria?
What is the crime rate in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being physically attacked in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of burglary in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Bulgaria?
