Long-term rent for 6-12 months is cheaper than if you're renting short-term. However, buying property can be hugely complex, red tape means a small admin task can take all day and both general customer service and government staffs attitudes get a good bashing. 2-Bulgarias population is reducing fast. You wont get far without at least elementary Bulgarian and you should familiarise yourself with the alphabet. To keep informed, check ourLiving In Europe After Brexit guide on a regular basis. I've just spent six weeks in Bulgaria, it's about as East as Eastern Europe gets. Of course, there are downsides to living in Bulgaria, but the positives are truly great. Theres a great etiquette guide on the Bulgarian Embassy of London site. Depending on your lifestyle, you can live as basically or as liberally as you choose here. The rate of homeownership in Bulgaria is high, at close to 90 percent, with many Bulgarians inheriting land and even a second home. The cost of living will surprise you. It has also steadily been climbing in the last 5 years. American rock legends Kiss will hang it up, at least in the live sense, at the end of a fifty-year career when they play their final two shows on December 1 and 2 at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Ive mentioned Cyrillic quite a bit, and it can definitely lead to some funny misunderstandings like seeing HOBO written everywhere and only later realizing that it means novo or new. Bulgaria regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. For retirees, its also the perfect place for a walk by the sea during the day. However, if you are employed locally and earn an average salary for the country, you will have to adjust your lifestyle accordingly. If youre wondering about where you want to spend your time as an expat retiree, Bulgaria is certainly among the top choices. When you have held a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria for 5 years, you can apply for Bulgarian citizenship (in Bulgarian). Sofia - a capital full of wonders 2. Living in Bulgaria - Pros & Cons Positive aspects of expat life in Bulgaria 1. 10 minuta, anonimno i nije dosadno! I stumbled across this whilst idly surfing, Im not considering leaving Blighty. A good read and a balance of things to consider, Your email address will not be published. Today, I will be talking about the pros and cons of living in Bulgaria, specifically Sofia and Plovdiv. There are also a number of bus lines you can take to get to most regions. Hi Allison. A new and exciting bar, restaurant, coffee shop, or boutique seems to be opening up in the center nearly every other day. The environment is extremely laid back and youll notice that everyone speaks English. Renting will allow you to get familiar with the area and make sure it works for you all year round. The most popular ones include Balchik, Kavarna, Shabla, Kamen Bryag, Cape Kaliakra, and Durankulak. "I hate living in California because I have to drive everywhere and then look for parking and also pay for it. Plovdiv - the new go-to for digital nomads and expats 3. You must put a minimum amount into the account for it to be opened, which differs depending on the area. Im struck with homesickness a lot of the time, even though I know that home is a deeply broken place, and Im terrified of whats happening in America on a public health, political, and moral level. Property prices in Bulgaria have settled down from their peaks following EU accession meaning that its possible to buy decent accommodation country-wide, (with the exception of a few exclusive suburbs in Sofia), for much less than you would pay in the UK for similar accommodation. 11- Bulgarians are a very proud nation. Expats often choose Haskovo as a popular Bulgarian place to live in as it offers the comfort and cosiness of the small town but its also extremely close to Plovdiv, where you can quickly travel to. Refurbishments are to be expected if you buy, but a common warning on forums is to get local advice and recommendations when it comes to builders and never to pay everything upfront. 11. With a monthly budget of 800 1000 lv (349/$483-436/$604) without rent for a single person, you will enjoy a comfortable living. I first came to Sofia, Bulgaria in August of 2017. To put it simply, Plovdiv doesnt disappoint in any way. Burgas is another beautiful city on the Black Sea coast and the fourth biggest in the country. Renting a property is relatively cheaper, especially if you choose a region outside the city centre. Driving around can be a challenge for you if you come for a Western European country, there are a mix of rainy weather, low maintenance, short-term repairments, and corruption, make Bulgarian roads one of the most dangerous in the EU. In my neighborhood, cars park wherever they want to; you always have to look down or risk twisting your ankle on some busted piece of sidewalk. You will have to renounce UK citizenship if you apply for Bulgarian citizenship after Brexit. But when I used to live in the center, I walked nearly everywhere. Bulgaria is a very safe country. 1-Living in Bulgaria will be an adventure, doesn't matter what kind of person you are and what you want out of life. Follow us on on Twitter. When they were dancing and singing. Your email address will not be published. While there is a lot that Bulgaria has to improve upon in many aspects of social justice, catcalling is luckily not a major issue, at least for me as a cishet white woman who can blend in easily here. You can comfortably walk around the towns streets at 3 AM knowing that youre completely safe. 3-low birth rates since Bulgarian families normally have one child, maximum two. One of the greatest things about living in Sofia is that if youre working as an expat and earning in another currency, like I do as an American working mostly with American companies, you can really splurge on a lot of daily activities. I stayed for a month when I was still traveling around the world full-time. Based on that experience, here are my request for you response and updates to your great work that youve shared with us: All you need to know about moving to and living in Bulgaria as an expat: the cost, the best areas, the pros and cons and much more. Your email address will not be published. Winters can be below -15. DSK Expressbank and Postbank were both recommended as Bulgarian banks for foreigners. (Which is not done for the general population) So, yes, I wonder why no mention of the above was made in the cons section about living in Bulgaria? Bulgaria uses the lev (plural: leva), which is pegged to the Euro at roughly 2:1. My husband works for an American company here in Sofia, helping their Portuguese team with customer support. Just imagine living in another European city with this budget. The Old Town is home to charming houses in the traditional old-style Bulgarian architecture. Veliko Tarnovo a historically rich and truly beautiful city, 5. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The city is vibrant and thrilling, with a range of different restaurants, coffee shops, entertainment venues, concert halls and theatres. Having said all of the above, however, it is possible to contrast each and every positive with a negativeand it seems it may well be down to a matter of personal opinion as to whether Bulgaria is a good place to live or not! You can ship your belongings to Bulgaria by sea, air or land; its close enough to drive your stuff over and pets yourself too. But there are also smaller towns that can give you that feeling of the perfect home you are looking for abroad. Plovdiv is a good place to live for all ages. Em Shadows. Expat Advice for the First 30 Days Abroad, Tips for Learning the Local Language as an Expat, The 10 BEST Provincetown Airbnb Rentals to Book NOW, 16 Best Strasbourg Airbnb Homes to Book Today, 16 Perfect Sitges Airbnb Rentals to Book This Year. A former journalist at Sky News and editor-in-chief for Yahoo, her work has appeared in various publications including Red Bull, The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates and Expatra. 6- Traveling inside the country is relatively easy because everything is close together, trip Sofia- Varna (one of the longer distances to travel is only 450 km.) Bansko may be popular for its natural riches but an interesting fact is that it also offers some of the fastest Internet! Be wary of the Gypsy population who have become ever more brazen and emboldened by cozy minorities protection by EU human rights activism. Next up on the list is Plovdiv, Bulgarias second-largest city. Another estimated 2,000-6,000 live in Bulgaria part-time, and are thus not registered as permanent residents. Low cost of living 3. 1-Living in Bulgaria will be an adventure , doesn't matter what kind of person you are and what you want out of life. Regardless of age, you cant really say youve been to Varna if you havent visited Cubo the most popular beach bar in the city. Unlike other retirement hotspots in Europe, Bulgaria does not have obvious expat enclaves. Many of the expat city-dwellers are workers, and the city boasts a thriving start-up scene. You can either join Facebook groups or look on Airbnb. If you don't want to be surprised by this different way of socially behaving, it might be best to read up on Bulgarian culture. The language barrier dealing with anything bureaucratic or institutional is frustrating, and the infrastructure is a little dated and needs a lot of love. The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Bulgaria to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. In addition, Kapana (The Trap), Plovdivs creative district attracts people of all ages with art and creativity. Were Derek and Mike 2 Americans living in Europe who love to travel the world. 6. So if your income comes from outside of the country and is of western standards then you can live in Bulgaria like a king. We live by a beautiful park thats often filled with litter. This country was established in 681 A.D. and has survived things you wouldnt imagine, they also are the inventors of the Bulgarian alphabet that through the centuries expand to most of the Slavic countries, they even have a day for celebrating the Bulgarianalphabet and culture, its on the 24th of May, you will see student take the streets with their parade. Some links may be affiliate links. If youre moving to Bulgaria, currently living in Sofia or just curious about living abroad, leave you questions for Allison below in the comments. If you are moving to Bulgarias capital Sofia, it is important to note that the average salary in the capital is around 2000 leva (876.13 / $1,220.66) for the same period. They do not abide by any rules and enjoy a protected criminal lifestyle by virtue of being a minority . The locals are friendly and speak good English, making it easy for expats to get around. Renting a good two-bedroom apartment in a nice neighbourhood of Sofia will cost you around 700 - 800 BGN (Bulgarian Lev), about 300 - 340. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you have any questions about our guides or the country discussed feel free to contact us or leave a comment below and we'll get back to you. Therefore, if youare considering Bulgaria, it is one of those nations where preconceptions count for very little. Thankyou Suzanne Locke! How to get Bulgarian Registration Plates For Your Car? Whenever I go out to a restaurant, its almost always in Oborishte! Theres so much to do in the city and nearby! Every expat has to at some point. Read about the advantages and disadvantages of living in Bulgaria before you move there. Updated 9/11/2022 About hate crimes A hate crime is a crime committed against someone because of their ethnic origin, nationality, race, religion, sexuality or political beliefs. especially older generations have extensive knowledge on small farming, food conservation, and of course, the best way to grow your own tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. Ive visited Sofia (last August 2020) and will be going there once again in April 2021. All the international coffee and fast food chains are here, Starbucks, KFC, Subway, McDonalds, etc, cost of living in Bulgariais 42.72%lowerthan inthe United States. Kiss were supposed to play their final show in 2021, but pandemic delays to the lengthy final . You will definitely be valued as an immigrant or an expat. HOW DO YOU TRANSFER MONEY INTERNATIONALLY? Bulgaria has aNet loss of one person every 11 minutes. Confirm you'd like to join our email list. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages cost on average 65% less, and clothing costs are 75% less than the European Union average. In Sofia, I largely get around by car and by taxi, since I now live a bit outside the center. Bulgaria implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement programme from 2012 until 2017.Bulgaria also took part in ODIHR's project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime", helping to develop a joint training programme for police and prosecutors that was piloted in the country. Over-sold as a location after its entry into the European Union in 2008, a real estate bubble quickly formed and burst in Bulgaria, which has left some out of pocket, particularly if they invested in big new tourist developments on the coast or in the ski resorts. 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