Maintenance fee for a seaside apartment in Bulgaria: how much and what to check
· Advice
A holiday apartment in a complex comes with an annual maintenance fee on top of the purchase price. It pays for the common parts and the services of the complex. It is usually due every year, even when the apartment stands empty, so include it in your budget before the viewing.
How much the fee is in our listings
As of October 2026, about 70 resale listings state the fee as a rate per square metre a year. The rates range from €7 to €22 per m², most often €12 per m². That is also the typical level in Sunny Beach and Sveti Vlas. Some sellers give a fixed amount for the year instead, for example €580 for a studio.
| Apartment | Area × rate | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Studio in Sunny Beach | 26 m² × €22/m² | €572 |
| One-bedroom apartment | 60 m² × €12/m² | €720 |
| Two-bedroom apartment in Pomorie | 94 m² × €8/m² | €752 |
A small studio with a high rate and a large apartment with a low rate can cost almost the same per year. Compare the annual amount, not just the rate.
Which area the rate applies to
The rate is multiplied by an area, and the area in a listing often includes common parts. €12 per m² on 60 m² and on 75 m² gives €720 and €900. Check in the contract which area the fee is charged on. How the total area is made up is explained in what the square metres include.
What the law says
The Bulgarian Condominium Management Act (ЗУЕС) covers two different situations.
In an ordinary condominium building, the costs of managing and maintaining the common parts are, as a rule, shared equally by the number of owners, users and occupants (Art. 51(1)). The general meeting may decide to share them by ideal parts or equally per unit instead (Art. 51(9)). For a unit used no more than 30 days a year, the owner pays as for one person.
In a gated residential complex, the management of the common parts is governed by a written contract with notarised signatures between the developer and the owners (Art. 2(1)). The developer registers the contract against each unit, and it binds later buyers (Art. 2(2)). The amount of the fee and the way it is calculated come from this contract. That is why a rate per square metre is most common in complexes.
What to ask for before you buy
- the maintenance contract, and whether it is registered against the apartment
- the annual amount for this apartment, the area it is charged on, and whether VAT is included
- what exactly the fee covers, for example security, reception, pool, cleaning and lighting of the common parts, garden, lifts
- how the fee has changed in recent years and what the contract says about increases
- a document from the management company confirming that the seller has no unpaid fees
- which services run outside the season
The maintenance fee is not a tax. The local property tax and the waste collection fee are paid to the municipality separately. For the costs of the purchase itself, see taxes and fees when buying property in Bulgaria.
If you like an apartment in our catalogue, send us the listing number. We will ask the seller for the maintenance contract and the amount for the last year.