Is Sofia Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Sofia

Safety rating

Safe
3.8 /5

Women living in Sofia consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 3.8 out of 5.

Crime rating

Low
1.9 /5

Women living in Sofia consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.9 out of 5.

Violence rating

18.3%

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 42 experiences

Safety rating:

3.8/5Safe

Safety walking alone after dark:

3.5/5Safe

Safety using public transport:

4.2/5Safe

Crime rate:

1.9/5Low

Worries of being sexually harassed:

1.8/5A bit worried

Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped:

1.4/5Not at all worried

Worries of being physically attacked:

1.5/5A bit worried

Worries of home broken and things stolen:

1.4/5Not at all worried

Worries of being mugged or robbed:

1.6/5A bit worried

Worries of being kidnapped or murdered:

1.2/5Not at all worried

How safe is Sofia?

Kseniia

Kseniia

I feel really safe in Sofia. There's only one area that you need to avoid. It's called Lulin. It's located northwest of the city. The center of the city is completely safe. Of course you need to follow basic safety rules. But here people can have their money and phones in their pockets. I've never faced any аgression or violence.

Posted: April 25, 2025
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I would say it can be pretty safe place to leave, it depend fron the area you're staying really. I wouldnt reccomend renting a place around Lion's bridge, Lulin, or Nadejda's reagion. Most of the niebourhoods can be considered safe.

Posted: April 20, 2025
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Darie

Darie

It's the capital city, there is certain crime, but in my experience not very high. For the most part me, my sister and my cousin have been harassed by romani people and that's it. It's seldom, but still I keep an eye out.

Posted: April 16, 2025
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I’ve been to Sofia for 5 months (today is 10th of April), so I dont know much. Since I came I am trying my best to avoid “bad neighbourhoods” like Lyulin etc. The worst things that happened to me were: 1. A man tried to touch my butt without being noticed on escalators before a friend of mine pushed him. 2. On the first of the year, in an almost empty tram, a man took off his pants and underwear looking at me. Overall men have been treating me nicely always trying to help and being kind.

Posted: April 10, 2025
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Elora

Elora

If you stay around the city centre it’s moderately safe. Around the end districts it gets more dangerous but it’s still relatively safe. You can expect catcalling from construction workers but they won’t touch u. Boys are tolerable in general.

Posted: April 9, 2025
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The city center and the places around it are very safe. However I wouldn't go to Lulin for example. There isn't anything to see in the districts that are further away anyway so I would stay in region of the center regardless.

Posted: March 15, 2025
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Sofia is a modern city, has all the components to provide a safe and enjoyable travel, the public transport in the city center is amazing, although if you wish to go out of the capital I strongly recommend renting a car. Public places are accommodated to the peoples needs, the city is relatively clean and cheap, there isn’t much of a night life, but there are so amazing bars that should definitely be visited. People are mostly open to landing a hand if needed, however, the old generations don’t speak much foreign languages, so if you need the help of the locals, i suggest asking the youth

Posted: March 10, 2025
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Lydia

Lydia

Ive been walking alone at night since i was 13. Its a very safe city. Even if you go outside the center, yes you could see some romani and arab people but i've never been harassed or bothered by them.

Posted: February 26, 2025
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Sofia is one of the safest cities in Bulgaria, it is a very chill city, people are friendly, the public transport is safe and fast and when I need help don't hesitate to ask for it people are always willing to help out with directions or advice.

Posted: February 18, 2025
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Monika

Monika

This city is not for one of the biggest or the most famous places ,but its soo charmingly and the people are so kind . You are gonna lose nothing if you come to see it,and i am waiting here for you to show you everything

Posted: February 4, 2025
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Is Sofia worth visiting?

Travel rating

4.1 /5

based on 18 experiences from female travelers

Solo travel

Hi, in January 2025 I was in Sofia gor two days with a friend. We slept at a host place an it was really nice! We loved the city! With a free walking tour we learned a lot about the history and the main places of the city. The other day we went to the big mountain and walked trough the snow. The public transportation was really cheap. It was a nice trip! :)

Posted: March 12, 2025
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Dilara

Dilara

Turkey

Solo travel

I had an amazing time in Sofya! The city has a charming atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. We tried some traditional Bulgarian dishes, and everything was fresh and flavorful. The service was also excellent—fast and friendly. We explored some beautiful places like Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Vitosha Boulevard, which had great shops and cafes. In the evening, my friends and I went to a karaoke bar, and we had so much fun singing together. The whole trip was unforgettable, and I’d love to visit again to discover even more!

Posted: February 2, 2025
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Meet locals in Sofia

Ivana

Ivana

About Me

Hiya, My name is Ivana, but you can call me Vancy. If you're coming to Sofia: I would love to show you around, mostly the nature part of what is usually surrounding Sofia - there are a lot of places nearby that can be easily reached with the local commute or by car (I don't have one btw :/ ). I'm also down for taking a random train trip somewhere - wherever we end up we'd be fine. Trust me, I know how to handle myself around the country, I've been doing this actively for the last 7-ish years and haven't regreted it once. 😇 I'm sorry to inform that currently I can't offer a place to stay although I'd love to. 🤕🤕 If in search for a place to stay: ... well, depends on where I'm visiting, but it's kind of the same thing - I'm mainly intrigued by making my own sidequests and exploring as much as I can! I'm satisfied with hanging around the city/village as well for some cultural, architectural and other inspirations of all sorts. I like sports as well, culinary too so I'm pretty much down for all types of new experiences as long as the poeple are with good intentions and positive. 🧚‍♀️ 🧚‍♂️ I love pets of all sorts, but I fall in love with well behaved puppers!! Sadly tho I do have some slight allergies to cats but it's not much trouble. I'm not pesky at all when it comes to food. I preffer to try out the local cuisine in cute homey restaurants as much as I do in homemade conditions as well. Feel free to text me whatsoever, whenever - I'd love to share a chat regarding anything. Cheers! 🤗✨️

Speaking

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Ally

Ally

About Me

Hello, my name is Aleksandra but people call me Ally for short, I like music, art, adventures, having fun and animals. I am a very social person and I like going out, traveling and exploring new places, I have a friendly cat named Zun-Zun and we live in a cozy one bedroom apartment in the center of Sofia! If u ever need a place to stay during your travels in Sofia or you want to explore cool places like restaurants and coffee shops on a budget or you just want to hang out with someone feel free to contact me!

Speaking

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Safety in Bulgaria

Frequently asked questions

Is Sofia safe?

Women living in Sofia consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 3.8 out of 5.

Is Sofia safe to walk alone at night?

Women living in Sofia consider walking alone at night to be relatively safe, with an overall safety rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Is public transport safe in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider public transport to be relatively safe, with an overall safety rating of 4.2 out of 5.

What is the crime rate in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.9 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of being sexually harassed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.8 out of 5.

What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.4 out of 5

What is the risk of being physically attacked in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of being physically attacked to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.5 out of 5.

What is the risk of burglary in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of burglary to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.4 out of 5

What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of being mugged or robbed to be relatively low, with an overall risk rating of 1.6 out of 5.

What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Sofia?

Women living in Sofia consider the risk of being kidnapped or murdered to be very low, with an overall risk rating of 1.2 out of 5