Real estate · Bulgaria

Real estate in Plovdiv: homes and areas

Bulgaria's second city: an old town on the hills, a Roman theatre in the centre, a manufacturing belt around it, and a calmer pace than Sofia.

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Living in Plovdiv

Plovdiv is Bulgaria's second-largest city, on the Maritsa river in the Upper Thracian Plain, built around a group of rocky hills. Its economy has a strong industrial base: the Trakia Economic Zone, a group of industrial zones around the city, hosts factories of international manufacturers such as ABB, Schneider Electric and Liebherr, alongside the food industry and agriculture of the surrounding plain. Plovdiv University, the Medical University and the Agricultural University bring a large student population.

The city has a history going back thousands of years, with a Roman theatre and stadium in the centre and a protected old town on the hills. It was European Capital of Culture in 2019, which helped turn the Kapana quarter into a district of galleries, workshops, cafés and bars.

The international community is much smaller than in Sofia, and daily life runs mostly in Bulgarian. The centre is compact, with a long pedestrian main street, and city buses cover the districts beyond it. Trains and the Trakia motorway connect Plovdiv with Sofia.

Most people live in apartments: older buildings in the centre, large socialist-era estates such as Trakia, and new-build complexes that have gone up across several districts. Houses with gardens are found mainly on the edges of the city and in the surrounding villages. The city figures on this page show how prices for new and existing homes are moving.

Population
333,994 (2025)

Source: NSI (National Statistical Institute), Population and demographic processes in 2025: Plovdiv municipality, 31 December 2025

Neighbourhoods

Old Town
An architectural-historical reserve on three hills (Nebet Tepe, Dzhambaz Tepe and Taksim Tepe), with restored 19th-century Bulgarian Revival houses, many still lived in. As a protected reserve, building work is subject to heritage rules.
Centre and Kapana
The Central district around the pedestrian main street and the Roman remains, with apartments in older buildings above shops and cafés. Kapana, a grid of small streets just off the main pedestrian street, was revitalised as a creative district for the 2019 Capital of Culture year.
Trakia
A large residential district east of the centre, built from the 1970s as a planned estate of panel blocks, with newer apartment complexes added since. It has its own district administration.
Karshiyaka (Northern district)
The district on the north bank of the Maritsa, which locals call Karshiyaka (from the Turkish for 'the other bank'). Largely residential, with apartment blocks and houses.

House prices in Plovdiv

House prices in the six largest cities, second quarter of 2026
Change on the quarter
+5.8%
Change on a year
+11.3%
New homes, change on a year
+2.7%
Existing homes, change on a year
+19.0%

Period: Q2 2026 From the official regional figures for Plovdiv; the country page has the full table.

Source: National Statistical Institute (NSI), House Price Index for the six largest cities, Q2 2026 (preliminary)

House prices in Bulgaria →

Practical information

  • Airports: Plovdiv Airport, just south-east of the city near Krumovo, has a small number of routes, mostly low-cost flights to the UK and a few other European cities. For more destinations, residents use Sofia Airport, around two hours away by motorway.
  • Getting around: city buses serve all districts, and the centre is walkable. BDZ trains run to Sofia and other Bulgarian cities.
  • Healthcare: public care runs through the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), which residents pay into through health contributions. Several university hospitals linked to the Medical University of Plovdiv are in the city, alongside private clinics.
  • Studying: Plovdiv University Paisii Hilendarski, the Medical University and the Agricultural University are all based in the city. International schools with an English-language curriculum are concentrated in Sofia.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plovdiv cheaper than Sofia?

Yes, homes in Plovdiv generally cost less to buy and rent than in Sofia, though the centre, the Old Town and new complexes are in demand. The Plovdiv price figures on this page show the current trend for new and existing homes.

Which areas of Plovdiv are popular with newcomers?

Many look first at the centre and Kapana for walkability, at the Old Town for character, and at newer complexes in districts such as Trakia and Karshiyaka for more space and a modern building.

Can I live in Plovdiv and work in Sofia?

Some people do, travelling by train or on the Trakia motorway, but it is a long daily commute. It works best if you only need to be in Sofia a few days a week or work remotely.

How many people live in Plovdiv?

Plovdiv municipality had 333,994 residents at the end of 2025, according to Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute, making it the second-largest municipality in the country after Sofia.

Other cities

Sources