Apartment area in Bulgaria: what the square metres include
· Advice
An apartment is advertised as 103.56 m², but its floor plan says 81.74 m². Before assuming a mistake, ask for an area breakdown. In this example, the total advertised area includes an allocation for common parts.
The photograph above shows Marina Dinevi and Sveti Vlas in 2015. It illustrates the area, not the apartment discussed below.
Apartment 20 in Etara 4: the figures
Our example uses the developer’s information for apartment 20 in Etara 4, Sveti Vlas, with the update received on 17 September 2026. The price on that date was €161,500. Check the listing for the current price and availability.
| Measure | Area |
|---|---|
| Apartment area stated by the developer | 81.74 m² |
| Common parts included in the total | 21.82 m² |
| Total advertised area | 103.56 m² |
The calculation is 81.74 + 21.82 = 103.56 m². The property card on our website rounds the total to 104 m². We use the unrounded figures for the calculations here.
81.74 m² is not necessarily the sum of the room areas
The figure on the plan does not, on its own, explain how walls and the terrace are counted. We therefore do not describe it as measured living space. To work out whether your furniture will fit, check individual room dimensions and ask whether they are measured between finished wall surfaces.
The common parts in this breakdown are not an extra room for your private use. Ask for the documents describing what you acquire and how the corresponding ownership shares are established. A marketing table alone cannot answer those questions.
Two ways to calculate the price per square metre
Dividing €161,500 by the total 103.56 m² gives approximately €1,559/m². Dividing the same price by 81.74 m² gives approximately €1,976/m². The apartment price has not changed; the area used in the calculation has. Before comparing two listings, check which area each price per square metre refers to.
What to request before reserving
Ask for a dimensioned floor plan, a breakdown of the total area and a draft contract. Check how terraces, storage rooms or cellars are counted and whether parking is included in the price. If the documents show different figures, ask the seller to explain the difference in writing.
For maintenance charges, request the annual amount for the particular apartment and the calculation behind it. If the fee is quoted per square metre, the contract should specify which area it applies to and whether VAT is included.
For an individual unit, Bulgaria’s cadastral records include the area stated in its documentation under Article 27(1)(3) of the Cadastre and Property Register Act. Do not assume this is identical to the total area in an advertisement. Have the lawyer handling your purchase compare the cadastral unit plan, title document and purchase contract.
Our holiday apartment purchase checklist covers other documents to request. If you are considering Etara 4, send us the apartment number so we can obtain the current area breakdown and floor plan from the developer.