You’ve got the keys. The flat has walls, probably a bed, and not much else. This page is organised by what you need, not by shop type — because nobody thinks “I need a DIY store”, they think “the bulb is dead”.
Before you buy anything fixed: boilers, plumbing, electrics and broken windows are the landlord’s job. Message them first. Buying parts yourself can cost you the deposit.
Bedding & towels
Duvet, pillow, sheets, towels — the first purchase, usually on day one.
- Pepco — cheapest, perfectly fine for a year or two. Inside the Kaufland on San Stefano.
- KiK — same idea, inside Panorama Mall.
- JYSK — better quality duvets, pillows and mattress toppers. Worth the extra if you sleep badly on thin bedding.
Light bulbs, extension cords, small tools
The stuff that breaks at the worst moment.
- Praktiker, Mr. Bricolage, HOMEMAX — all three carry bulbs, extension leads, adapters, hooks, curtain rails, screwdrivers, batteries.
- Bulbs here use European E27 (big) and E14 (small) screw fittings — take the dead bulb or a photo with you.
- Mr. Bricolage sits next to Billa on Asen Halachev, so you can combine it with groceries.
Kitchen: plates, pans, kettle
- Pepco and KiK — cheapest plates, cutlery, glasses.
- Kaufland and the DIY stores both carry pans, kettles, food containers and cleaning gear.
- Lidl middle aisle — rotating weekly deals on kitchen and household items, often the best price in town if you catch the right week.
Anything electrical — kettle, lamp, laptop, adapters
Bulgaria uses European type C/F plugs, 230 V. Arriving from the UK, India, Pakistan or Ireland? Buy two or three adapters on your first day — you’ll need them before anything else.
Where to buy adapters in Pleven: closest to the university is Elimex, a small electrical shop about five minutes on foot — try it first, but bring cash. Otherwise Mr. Bricolage, Praktiker or Technopolis. Buy more than one — you’ll want a charger by the bed and one at the desk, and they get lost.
- Technopolis and Technomarket — the two big electronics superstores: laptops, phones, TVs, microwaves, kettles, washing machines.
- Zora — third chain, plus a smaller branch in Panorama Mall for cables and chargers.
- Compare prices online first — the chains differ by more than you’d expect on the same item.
- For a basic kettle or toaster, Kaufland and Pepco are usually cheaper than an electronics store.
- Keep the receipt and box for the warranty.
Desk, chair, shelves, wardrobe
If your flat has no proper study space, fix that early — you’ll spend a lot of hours at that desk.
- Mebeli Videnov — Bulgarian chain, affordable desks, chairs, beds, wardrobes, mattresses.
- Em Design — showroom near Panorama Mall, worth comparing.
- JYSK — smaller furniture, shelving, desk chairs.
- Ask about delivery and assembly — usually cheap, and far better than carrying a wardrobe through town.
- Talk to your landlord first. Many will buy or pay half for furniture that stays in the flat.
Drying rack, bin, iron, cleaning supplies
The unglamorous list nobody warns you about. All of it is in the DIY stores, Kaufland, or Pepco/KiK. There are no tumble dryers in most Bulgarian flats — a drying rack is essential, not optional.
Decoration
A few posters, a plant, string lights — the cheapest way to make a rented room feel less like a hotel. Pepco and KiK for cheap decor; the DIY stores for plants and pots.
Second-hand & free
- Ask older students — every summer, graduating students give away or sell kettles, desks, lamps and drying racks for almost nothing. The student Facebook and WhatsApp groups are full of these offers in June and September.
- This is the single cheapest way to furnish a room, and it’s better for the planet than another flat-pack shelf.
Budget guide: most students furnish the missing basics of a room for €50–150 if they shop at Pepco/KiK and buy second-hand where they can. Don’t buy everything on day one — live in the flat for a week and you’ll know what you actually need.