Tell us more about your life there ! For instance, we were told, in Vratsa you can open a bank account with 450 lev but in Shumen it is 1,000 lev and in Veliko Turnovo around 3,000 lev. Living in Bulgaria was a good fit because I needed a place to stay that was cheap, outside of the Schengen zone, yet located in Europe as I had upcoming projects in the area. Driving a car around the city centre may be difficult as parking is an issue. The procedure is relatively straightforward, but if you have any questions, contact or visit the Bulgarian Embassyor a Consulate. Our most popular evergreen guides are kept fresh and up-to-date by our in-house research team. So I ended up staying in Sofia for love, and we got married in 2019 after exhausting all the other possibilities to stay together in Sofia, since domestic partnerships are not an option here. For a family of four, 3,200 lv (1,404/$1,941) excluding rent is a fair monthly budget. Sinemorets, Bulgaria. In addition, Kapana (The Trap), Plovdivs creative district attracts people of all ages with art and creativity. Read about the advantages and disadvantages of living in Bulgaria before you move there. Its safe to say that a single person can live comfortably in Sofia with 1,000 lv (437/$605), rent excluded. Bulgaria is eminent for its ability to successfully prepare students thoroughly in studies like maths, history, arts, languages and literature, biology, chemistry, and others. There are also a number of amazing places to visit near Veliko Tarnovo, like Arbanassi, Elena, and Gabrovo. I rent an apartment for about 450 euro a month with my husband. Plovdiv doesnt have an underground but it does offer bus transportation to most parts of the city. 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. Youll find plenty of horse-and-cart villages alongside the potholes in what is the EUs poorest member state. Bulgaria definitely has several things that give you culture shock. But when I used to live in the center, I walked nearly everywhere. Its a city of central location and is extremely close to Varna and Balchik. Bulgarias appeal was on the rise prior to and immediately following EU accession, and this resulted in a small wave of immigration particularly from the UK and Ireland. 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. You know when everyone was smiling? 1 Euro. But if you would like to appreciate the beautiful landscape and have enough time, you can take the slow train service, you can pass from the mountains to the Black Sea coastline in a couple hours and in between, you will find beautiful valleys. The largest community is in the capital, Sofia. If you are considering relocating with children, you can choose to educate your children locally in Bulgaria, or they can attend an international school if you live in or close to Sofia where theres plenty of choice in terms of school and curriculum. Bulgarians are also known for their IT abilities. Its 100% car-free, with small cosy stress and traditional Bulgarian houses. Nationalminimum wageinBulgariaremained fixed at 260.8 per month. Allison Green is a travel writer and podcaster based out of Sofia, Bulgaria. Coffees are much cheaper here than in the rest of Europe. You can see jars for sale on the sides of roads and in any of the villages. The economy and salaries are improving, in bigger cities the civic society has taken many steps forward too. The Sea Garden is a destination where both locals and expats love to spend their days, surrounded by nature and calm vibes. Paperwork can be painful. The coolest neighborhoods in the city are the area around Lions Bridge (Lavov Most) near where the Kvartal festival is held, the neighborhood of Oborishte, and the neighborhood of Lozonets. There has always been a bit of friendly competition between Varna and Burgas locals when it comes to which city is better. Its worth noting that renting in Burgas is cheaper, with a difference of around 40% in prices. Enjoy your trip and good luck with the relocation. Ive visited Sofia (last August 2020) and will be going there once again in April 2021. Enjoy the therapeutic mineral springs in Haskovo and the picturesque Kenana a magical oak forest that offers a large park, restaurants, tennis grounds, and recreational houses. Its what I was doing before I came to Bulgaria, but now, I have more focus and purpose being based in one place. We hope that this guide will come in handy and will help you choose the best place that will meet your expectations. Im sure that women of color struggle a bit more with harassment, but I cant make any generalizations to their experience, as I only know what friends have told me about living or traveling in the region. The summers could get pretty heated and dry while winters are a great excuse to hit the slopes and go skiing in nearby ski resorts. When you have held a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria for 5 years, you can apply for Bulgarian citizenship (in Bulgarian). Find out more about us HERE. Living in Sofia comes with all the benefits of being in a big city while giving you a sense of a slower more relaxed life. Moving to a new country is like entering a new world where different rules apply, and it takes a while before you can fully understand them.Not knowing the language and not having any close friends, it may be quite frustrating to handle even simple daily tasks, let alone sort out the basics - how to get a job, a place to live and a residence permit. Its located on the banks of the Maritsa river in the Thrace region, southeast of Sofia. Living in the city, you can still feel the magnificent presence of the glorious fortress. Bulgarian state-run schools often operate with outdated equipment and old material bases. Although Bulgaria is a member of the EU, they still have their own currency, Leva. Leslie Grantham: Bulgarias most famed Briton? As a result of moving to Bulgaria a few years ago, she has a lot to share about what life is like in the country. The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Bulgaria to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. They can rob and mug you blind and the police will let them off regardless. For instance, students are mostly located in Student Town (Studentski Grad) or the central parts of the city, while retirees and families would probably prefer a more relaxing and calm place like Pancharevo, Bistritsa, or Boyana. but there arent perfect countries, you can feel miserable in a rich country and vice-versa, the important is to accept the things how they are, dont waste energy in what can be changed, and when you see a possibility to make the improvements, do it one at the time. Its just nice to know that you also have the alternative of witnessing food grow in front of your eyes. My biggest concern is finding a job with an American company there. almost every family has their own 1000 sqm. Complete Guide to Living in Bulgaria. Life is Not Like the Movies Everyone thinks of California as a hippie paradise with no stress and a serene culture. What are the average living costs in Bulgaria? On the other hand, when it comes to Bulgarian public schools, they are completely free to attend and textbooks are provided for free for students in certain grades. Ill be forthright and say that Sofia is definitely not the easiest city to live in in Europe, and its not for everyone. The Old Town is like an outdoor museum, full of old churches, mansions, and souvenir shops. Retirees may find that their pension income goes far further in Bulgaria and they could benefit from a move as they will not be dependent on the local economy to provide them with a living. So if your income comes from outside of the country and is of western standards then you can live in Bulgaria like a king. I am from Sydney, Australia and I am looking at moving to Europe in the next 12 months. However, if you are employed locally and earn an average salary for the country, you will have to adjust your lifestyle accordingly. I lived and travelled through East European countries from age 18 till 25, many decades ago. During the cold season, you can go skiing in popular ski resorts like Borovets, which is an hour and a half drive from the city. I've just spent six weeks in Bulgaria, it's about as East as Eastern Europe gets. Most restaurants have lunch specials generally between 12 2 pm and you can have the special for about 56 leva. I first came to Sofia, Bulgaria in August of 2017. There are a few ways to find a long-term apartment rental in Bulgaria. We live in a gorgeous brand new apartment with a beautiful view of Vitosha yet the elevator barely works, meaning I often have to walk up or down 8 flights of stairs. Popovo is a lovely, small town in North-Eastern Bulgaria, surrounded by forests and magnificent nature. and there are also few flights that connect both cities in less than an hour. We started Robe Trotting to share our experiences. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 - Expatra Ltd. UK Company Number 09686420. Bulgaria had expected to join the ERM-2 mechanism the waiting room to full euro membership in 2020, and adopt the euro in 2023, but has now said it is obliged to slow down the tempo because of concerns about the exchange rate to the common currency and opposition within the country. 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. With a monthly budget of 800 1000 lv (349/$483-436/$604) without rent for a single person, you will enjoy a comfortable living. So, make sure you are willing to live in that kind of environment if you are considering a rustic existence in Bulgaria, any way you wont be alone there are many expats that choose those regions and enjoy the positive side of a simpler life, there are regions close to Veliko Tarnovo, Dobrich, and Elhovo just to mention a few, with relatively big expats communities. But yes, Bulgaria is still rapidly losing population, so it needs people to come (back) and contribute. I stumbled across this whilst idly surfing, Im not considering leaving Blighty. especially older generations have extensive knowledge on small farming, food conservation, and of course, the best way to grow your own tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. They struggle to make the ends meet on their pensions in Britain so they choose to move to a more favourable environment in terms of cost. Family of four estimated monthly costs: $2,423 (4,494 ) Single person estimated monthly costs: $992 (1,841 ) Bulgaria is the 4th cheapest country in Eastern Europe (8 out of 11) Cost of living in Bulgaria is cheaper than in 80% of countries in the World (63 out of 79) So something that costs 2 leva is about one Euro. There are a lot of natural honey producers here. Spend any time checking forums and youll find fairly even numbers of British expats extolling Bulgarias virtues or hauling it over the coals. Dont let the shivers get to you! Bulgaria can provide you with very different experiences depending on whether you live in one of the cities, or in smaller towns and villages. Bulgarian rules require immigrants to demonstrate they can support themselves financially, although the Bulgarian prime minister has publicly welcomed British migrants. Follow us on on Twitter. The daytime temperatures vary from 0-5C in the winter and 25-30C in the summer months. A man casually shoots a homeless guy in broad daylight as others watch and do nothing. Read more in Expatras guide to international removals. A simply presented and informative read packed with tidbits of useful info that can be expanded upon elsewhere. You could go to a modern coffee shop in the morning for a coffee and it costs 2.00 leva. Bulgaria has aNet loss of one person every 11 minutes. People from Bulgaria can dance! Well done Suzanne. Registering my business in Bulgaria was a total headache. It has also steadily been climbing in the last 5 years. better place to live than two-thirds of the world, All You Need To Know About Medical Insurance for Foreigners in Bulgaria. Potrebni uesnici 30+ godina starosti. Renting a property in Plovdiv is more affordable when compared to Sofia. Contrast Bulgaria with somewhere like southern Spain or Cyprus for example, and youll know what we mean! You can choose your GP so most expats tend to choose a local and/or English-speaking doctor. You dont have to worry if you fall ill in Sofia the city has great hospitals and medical clinics to keep your health in check. Save money on international transfers with Wise (formerly TransferWise). If youre moving to Bulgaria, currently living in Sofia or just curious about living abroad, leave you questions for Allison below in the comments. You can visit its magnificent mountains, take a trip to the seaside where the cities never sleep or explore its authentic and traditional old villages. Guys often wear skinny jeans and black Armani T-shirts, while girls go for equally tight pants and skirts with some sort of a designer tank top, be it Mango, Trussardi or Motivi. . A country house in a remote village could be yours for as little as 20,000 and you could heat it for around 70 a month, half the price it would cost you in the UK. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Bulgaria (especially Sofia) has become incredibly interesting to me recently. A huge caveat is that there is no social security agreement between the UK and Bulgaria, so your UK state pension will be frozen at its current rate upon first payment, with no increases linked to inflation. Varna - the perfect sea-side living 4. Our previous 1-bedroom apartment in the center had been 350 euro a month, and when my husband lived in a studio, he had a gorgeous one for just 220 euro a month. 2-Bulgarias population is reducing fast. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages cost on average 65% less, and clothing costs are 75% less than the European Union average. It was a nightmare though, and my lawyers were really awful at helping me navigate it, so possibly I could have had a better experience with a different lawyer. 2. Normally men and women in a family work and a lot of Bulgarians dont have mortgages. Once you have been resident in Bulgaria for five years, you canapply for Bulgarian citizenship. Recently, the city port has been renovated and improved, with a ton of new restaurants, nightclubs, and bars to visit. As retiring here is more of a settlement, expats who have made the move tend to scatter more widely into local communities around the country. To put it simply, Plovdiv doesnt disappoint in any way. Required fields are marked *. That is one of the biggest reasons not to move to California." 4. Its a perfect location for expats who are fond of a green way of living and are looking forward to having the opportunity to move into a spacious house with a garden, where they can grow their own food and crops. Thats for a 40 hour week. 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. Outside, expats are more widely dispersed than in many countries, from Varna, on the Black Sea, to ski resort Bansko. Bulgaria is a place with many problems where life isnt easy. Just imagine living in another European city with this budget. "I hate living in California because I have to drive everywhere and then look for parking and also pay for it. 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. They do not abide by any rules and enjoy a protected criminal lifestyle by virtue of being a minority . Bulgarian is a difficult language, made more difficult by the fact that it uses the Cyrillic alphabet. If youre considering retiring to Bulgaria, you really should start language lessons. Population. As the country is becoming more popular with expats, they discover other locations as well. Thank you so much for this article, I was thinking of retiring to Portugal but now, I have changed my mind and am planning a trip to Bulgaria next year in 2022. 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. Plovdiv is considered Bulgarias cultural capital and carried the award for European Capital of Culture for 2019. With its relatively mild climate, Bulgaria is pleasant all year round. Veliko Tarnovo - a historically rich and truly beautiful city 5. Another estimated 2,000-6,000 live in Bulgaria part-time, and are thus not registered as permanent residents. With Wise ( formerly TransferWise ) with a ton of new restaurants, nightclubs and! 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