The steady rise in housing prices in Bulgaria is no longer surprising, but what is noteworthy is a shift in the cities experiencing the fastest increases. Traditionally led by cities like Sofia, Varna, Burgas, or Plovdiv, Ruse has now unexpectedly jumped to the forefront in terms of price growth. This was revealed by the latest data from the National Statistical Institute, reflecting the housing market in the second quarter of 2024.

Over the past year, residential properties across the country have seen an average price increase of 15%, with a 3.4% rise in the second quarter alone. However, these averages mask significant regional variations. While prices in Sofia and Burgas each increased by 2.9% in just three months, Plovdiv saw a more substantial rise of 5.3%. Ruse, however, registered a sharp increase of 13.2%. Stara Zagora showed a slight decrease of 0.2% in housing prices during the same period, adding to the unexpected trends.

The statistics provide insight into the changes but do not offer explanations for these shifts. Unfortunately, the National Statistical Institute no longer provides updated data on average housing prices by region, limiting further analysis. Nevertheless, the available data on percentage changes offer a useful indication of market trends, which continue to show an upward trajectory for the most part.