Plovdiv on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, very easily: Plovdiv is one of the cheapest cities in the EU for good food, culture and comfortable rooms. A realistic minimum is about €42 a day per person sharing a room — around €20 for a bed, €15 for food, €5 for sights and €2 for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €20 | €40 | €80 |
| Food & drink | €15 | €28 | €50 |
| Sights & tickets | €5 | €12 | €25 |
| Local transport | €2 | €6 | €20 |
| Per person, per day | €42 | €86 | €175 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Plovdiv day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The visible end of the Roman Stadium at Dzhumaya Square
- Walking the pedestrian street Knyaz Alexander I and the Roman Forum remains
- The singing fountains in the Tsar Simeon Garden on summer evenings
- Climbing Nebet Tepe for the view over the city
- The lanes, bars and street art of Kapana
- The courtyard and church of Bachkovo Monastery
Cheap eats
- Banitsa with ayran or boza for breakfast — about €1–3
- Shopska salad — a few euros
- Kebapche or kyufte with bread — a few euros
- Kavarma in a clay pot — usually about €6–10
- Full Bulgarian dinner with wine — about €15–25 per person
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels in Kapana and near the main street, where dorm beds are cheap and private doubles cost about €35–60. Many guesthouses in the centre are similar in price.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre; most sights are 10–20 minutes apart. City buses and taxis are cheap. Most travellers fly into Sofia and take the bus to Plovdiv, about 1.5–2 hours. For Bachkovo, take the bus from the Rhodope bus station.
A sample budget day
- Morning: banitsa and coffee (about €3), then the Roman Stadium and the Great Basilica (a few euros)
- Lunch: shopska salad and kebapche (about €7)
- Afternoon: free walk up Nebet Tepe and the Old Town lanes
- Evening: dinner and a craft beer in Kapana (about €8)
- Total: about €42 including a shared room (about €20)
More ways to save
- Visit in spring or autumn for good weather without summer heat.
- Book Old Town Revival-house guesthouses directly; they are often good value.
- Ask for local estate wines by the glass rather than imported bottles.
- Use the bus for day trips to Bachkovo and Asenovgrad.
- Look for free events and outdoor concerts in summer.
- Carry some cash for small shops, stalls and monastery candles.
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Common questions
Can you visit Plovdiv on a budget?
Yes, easily. Plan on about €42 a day per person, with sights at a few euros each.
How do I get from Sofia to Plovdiv cheaply?
Take the bus, usually about 1.5–2 hours and faster than the train.
How do I get to Bachkovo Monastery by bus?
Take a bus from the Rhodope bus station towards Smolyan, in about 40 minutes. The courtyard and church are free.