Every autumn parents ask us the same question: our child has a university place in another city — should we rent something, or just buy? The answer depends on three things: how many years the course lasts, which city and neighbourhood, and what will happen to the home after graduation. Below we set out the options and the numbers.
Figures are indicative and verified as of October 2026.
Option 1: halls of residence
Halls are the cheapest option. Rents at state universities are set by the rector's order and are well below market levels. At Sofia University, for example, under the order in force since October 2025, the monthly rent for a whole room is roughly €28 to €73 depending on its size (it is set per square metre) and is shared between the students living in it. A deposit, a semester fee, and electricity and water above the norm are charged on top.
But:
- Places are limited. Allocation is by ranking — usually by grades — and certain groups get priority (for example orphans, students with disabilities, student parents, students from large families). Fee-paying students are usually housed only if places remain.
- Conditions vary — some blocks have been renovated, others not. View before you decide.
- Deadlines. Applications are made in summer, often before enrolment is final. Watch the specific university's website.
Halls are a good solution for the first year — while your child gets to know the city and works out where they actually want to live.
Option 2: renting
Renting is the most flexible option: your child can change neighbourhood, flatmates, or even city if they switch courses. Points to bear in mind:
- The lease — whose name it is in, who stands as guarantor, the deposit and the notice period. For tenants' rights and obligations in detail, see Renting a home: tenant rights and obligations.
- Address registration — a current address must be registered within 30 days, and in a rented home this needs the owner's written consent. Agree it when you sign.
- Flatmates — a lease with several tenants should state clearly who pays what and what happens if someone leaves.
- Summer — many landlords want a 12-month lease. Decide whether you will pay through the holidays.
Option 3: buying
Buying can make sense if:
- the course is long (medicine, architecture, a master's after a bachelor's) or your child is likely to stay and work in the city;
- you have savings that would otherwise sit in a low-interest deposit;
- you are happy for the home to become a buy-to-let investment after graduation.
The numbers. Don't compare the mortgage payment with the rent. Compare the unrecoverable costs — interest, property tax and waste fee, upkeep, the return you give up on your own money — with a year's rent on a comparable home. On the worked example at August 2026 rates in our guide Rent or buy a home?, owning costs about 3.5% of the price a year; if a year's rent is more than that, buying is cheaper on a running basis.
Add the one-off costs — the local transfer tax (up to 3% depending on the municipality), the registration fee, the notary fee (notary calculator), any agency commission — and the costs of selling later. Over 4–6 years of study they usually pay back; over 1–2 years, almost never.
Whose name should it be in?
- The parent's name — the parent owns the property, takes the loan and decides what happens to it. The child lives there rent-free. If you later let the home, the income is taxed in your hands.
- The child's name (if an adult) — the parent can give the money and the child buys. Gifts between parents and children are not subject to gift tax, but the transfer tax on the property and the fees are paid as with any purchase. A student usually has no income, so a mortgage in their name is unlikely.
- Joint ownership — possible, but think about what happens on a future sale or if family circumstances change.
Discuss the decision with a notary and, if there is a loan, with the bank before you choose a property.
Where to look: Sofia
- Sofia University is in the centre, next to a metro station — the central districts, Lozenets and Oborishte are convenient but expensive; neighbourhoods along the metro lines are a good compromise.
- Studentski Grad — home to the Technical University and UNWE, and to many of the halls. It is lively and has a lot of rental housing. There is no metro to Studentski Grad yet: the extension of line 2 is a long-term project without secured funding — see what we know about the new metro stations.
- The Medical University and the hospitals around it are in the central part of the city — Lozenets, Ivan Vazov and Yavorov are convenient.
- New Bulgarian University is in Ovcha Kupel — rents there and in nearby areas are usually lower.
Where to look: Plovdiv and Varna
- Plovdiv is compact: Plovdiv University and the Medical University are in or near the centre, and almost everything is 15–20 minutes away by bike or bus. The centre, Karshiyaka and Smirnenski are popular with students; Trakia is further out but more affordable.
- Varna: the University of Economics and the Medical University are in the centre, and the Technical University is in the Levski neighbourhood. Levski, Chayka and the centre are the most sought-after among students. Bear in mind that in summer some landlords prefer short-term holiday lets — a full-year lease is an advantage.
In short
- Halls — cheapest, but places are limited and allocated by ranking. Good for the first year.
- Renting — flexible; watch the lease, the deposit and address registration.
- Buying — makes sense with a long course, available savings and a willingness to let the home afterwards.
- Compare the unrecoverable costs, not the payment against the rent.
- Choose the neighbourhood by the university and transport, not just the price.
If you are thinking about a home for your child in Sofia, Plovdiv or Varna, call us or come into the office. We'll compare renting and buying with real properties, and you can check the monthly payment beforehand in our mortgage calculator.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Hall rents are from the Sofia University rector's order in force from 1 October 2025, converted at the fixed euro rate; verified as of October 2026.
