Moving to Bulgaria: everything you need to know about living in the country

Advantages of living in Bulgaria

• Affordable prices: relatively inexpensive real estate, reasonable prices for food, medicine, and clothing.
• Relatively inexpensive higher education.
• Friendly attitude towards foreigners.
• Warm climate, sea, mountains, and stunningly beautiful nature.
• Bulgaria is part of the Schengen Agreement, so a residence permit and citizenship of this country open the way to visa-free travel throughout Europe.

Cons of living in Bulgaria

• Good housing in new buildings is rare; instead, there are many options for budget housing in older buildings.
• It is difficult to find a decent job with good working conditions.
• The standard of living is low by European standards.

Visas to Bulgaria

Starting in the fall of 2023, you will need to register on the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) website to enter Bulgaria. Registration costs €7 (free for children and seniors) and is valid for three years.

There are two types of visas to Bulgaria:

• Short-term visa category C (tourism, business, work trip, attending sporting events, transit): stay in the country for up to 90 days per half-year.
• Long-term visa category D (work, study, family reunification, Bulgarian origin): with this visa, once you are in the country, you can immediately apply for a residence permit or permanent residence. It is also called an immigration visa.

Documents required for a visa:

• completed application form;
• foreign passport, national passport and copies (with 2 blank pages and valid for at least 3 months);
• 3.5x4.5 photo on a light background;
• document confirming the availability of financial resources;
• medical insurance;
• for children under 16 years of age — a copy of the birth certificate;
• for pensioners — a copy of the pension certificate;
• receipt for payment of the visa fee.

How to obtain a residence permit and permanent residence in Bulgaria

To obtain a residence permit, you will need the following documents:

• International passport.
• Proof of accommodation (purchase or rental agreement).
• Proof of sufficient funds to live in Bulgaria. Usually, the amount must be equal to the minimum wage or minimum pension multiplied by 12 and be available in your bank account. If a residence permit is requested for a period of less than one year, the calculation will be made for the corresponding number of months.
• Certificate of no criminal record.
• Medical insurance.
• Receipt for payment of state fees.

Documents confirming the purpose of the move must be provided, such as a job offer, study invitation, or marriage certificate.

A residence permit can also be obtained by investing EUR 512,000 in government bonds, shares in Bulgarian companies, a trust account, or intellectual property rights.

The documents must be translated into Bulgarian and notarized.

To obtain permanent residence, you must have been in Bulgaria for a total of at least 30 months within a five-year period.

Bulgarian citizenship

Bulgarian citizenship can only be obtained in the following ways:

• By descent (you must prove that you have Bulgarian ancestors up to the third generation: parents, grandmother, grandfather).
• By naturalization (5 years of residence in Bulgaria on the basis of permanent residence).

Life in Bulgaria

Work and salaries in Bulgaria

Work in Bulgaria is mainly in the tourism, hotel, beauty salon, and restaurant industries. The average salary in these industries is around EUR 700–1,000 per month, depending on experience, position, and region.

If you choose the right field of activity, you can develop your business fairly quickly after moving. In most niches, competition is low. For example, you can open a beauty salon or nail salon, and there will always be customers.

Job search websites:

• jobs.bg
• zaplata.bg
• karieri.bg
• rabota.bg
• ngobg.info/careers
• Bulgaria for Ukrainians

You can find the addresses and contact details of employment agencies on these websites. If you have humanitarian or refugee status, you can contact your local employment center. Job fairs are often held here.

Taxes in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has the lowest income tax in Europe — only 10%. This rate is the same for both citizens and visitors and is the lowest among European Union countries.

Cost of living in Bulgaria

Food

In Bulgaria, it is advantageous to shop at large supermarkets such as Lidl and Kaufland. On Fridays, they offer good promotions and discounts, and locals stock up for the week.

Examples of the cost of basic products:

• boneless pork tenderloin (400 g) – 5.5 Lv
• ground beef (400 g) – 6 Lv
• chicken fillet (650 g) – 8 Lv
• tomatoes (1 kg) – 4.8 Lv
• cucumbers (1 kg) – 3 Lv
• sugar (1 kg) – 2.8 Lv
• water (1 l) – 1 Lv
• bread – from 1.5 Lv
• eggs (10 pcs.) – 3 Lv
• milk (1 l) – 2 Lv
• butter (1 pack, 250 g) – 6 Lv

1 Lv = 0.51 euros

A person spends €220–300 per month on food, while a family of three spends €, or about €500–650, including a trip to a café or restaurant at the end of each week.

Transport

Transport in Bulgaria is well developed: buses, minibuses, trolleybuses, trams, and the metro. The cost of a ticket is calculated by time:

• 60 minutes — 1.6 Lv
• all-day pass — 4 Lv
• monthly pass — about 22 BGN

When taking a taxi, you need to be vigilant and make sure that there is a device in front of you showing the price for boarding and the price per kilometer.

How much does housing cost?

Real estate in Bulgaria is cheap, but utility bills are high:

• Electricity per month — 50-80 BGN
• Water supply per month — 15-20 BGN
• Heating per month — 150-200 BGN

The cost of a studio apartment in large cities starts at €20,000.

Rent:

• One-room apartment 35 sq. m. (budget option) — €250
• In Sofia, such an apartment starts at €450
• Three-room apartment — €1,000

Websites for finding accommodation:

• Booking.com
• bulgarianproperties.com
• m.imot.bg

You can also search for rental accommodation on OLX, Facebook groups, and Telegram.

You can book a hotel with a discount of up to 65% on the website.

Healthcare

Medical care in Bulgaria is paid. The only exceptions are emergency medical care and assistance in case of accidents. All clinics are private, well-equipped, and staffed by qualified doctors.

In most cases, medical insurance is paid for by the employer. For unemployed citizens, compulsory medical insurance costs between €75 and €150 per month. Students are exempt from compulsory insurance contributions.

Education

In Bulgaria, there are both public and private kindergartens and schools. Some kindergartens offer nurseries where children can be enrolled from 10 months of age.

• In state kindergartens, the monthly fee is 50 BGN, and for non-residents — 100 BGN (approximately €35-50).
• Private kindergartens cost an average of €170-300 per month.
• Tuition at public schools costs between €100 and €300 per year, while private schools can cost up to €2,000 per year.

The cost of tuition at Bulgarian state universities varies from €2,200 to €5,500, depending on the course and level. Private universities tend to have significantly higher fees, reaching €8,000.

Language

To communicate comfortably with Bulgarians, it is worth learning the basics of the language. This is not difficult, as you can often understand up to 80% of the information when reading and communicating. Knowing key words will help you communicate freely and deal with documents.

Climate

Bulgaria has a warm climate:

• In winter, the temperature rarely drops below -10 degrees Celsius.
• In autumn and spring, the temperature usually stays around +20 degrees.
• In summer, temperatures reach +35-37 degrees.

Moving to Bulgaria with children

Children are treated with warmth and attention in Bulgaria. There are many different clubs for children here, and free excursions are organized, for example, to Vensday Castle.

To move, you will need the following documents:

• The child's passport.
• Notarized permission for the child to leave the country.
• Original and copy of the birth certificate.
• Medical documents, outpatient card, and vaccination records.
• Certificate from the place of study.
• Two photos measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm.

All documents must be translated into Bulgarian.

Moving to Bulgaria with pets

To move with animals, you will need a standard set of documents and procedures:

• Microchipping of the animal.
• All necessary vaccinations, especially against rabies.
• Health certificate.
• Up-to-date health certificate.
• EU passport for the animal.

If vaccinations have not been done previously, they will need to be done, which will take about 4 months. Take this time into account when planning.

Relocation of retired people to Bulgaria

Retired people have the right to move to Bulgaria for permanent residence under a simplified procedure by depositing €3,000 in a Bulgarian bank and providing a rental agreement or documents proving ownership of housing.

All documents must be translated into Bulgarian.

Leisure and tourism

Bulgarians actively travel around their country, taking advantage of the diversity of landscapes and attractions. In summer, trips to the Black Sea coast are popular, where locals relax on the beaches of Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, or in quieter resorts. In winter, many go to ski resorts such as Bansko, Borovets, or Pamporovo.

On weekends, Bulgarians often go to the countryside for picnics and hiking in the Rila, Pirin, or Rhodope Mountains. Excursions to historic cities such as Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, and Nessebar are also popular. Locals enjoy spa vacations in cities such as Hisarya and Velingrad, which are known for their mineral springs.

Cultural leisure activities include visiting festivals, such as the Rose Festival in Kazanlak or the Jazz Festival in Bansko. In cities, Bulgarians enjoy spending time in cozy cafes, restaurants serving national cuisine, and local markets.

Features of the Bulgarian mentality

Bulgaria has its own linguistic and cultural characteristics. For example, traditional head gestures for “yes” and “no” can be the opposite of what many travelers are used to, although in tourist areas people often use the more familiar international gestures.

Bulgarians like to give the impression of prosperity and security. At the same time, they are very hospitable and friendly, which helps you quickly make useful acquaintances and facilitates adaptation to a new place.

Safety

In Bulgaria, the crime rate is low on average, and serious crimes are rare. However, you should be careful about theft. It is recommended that you study the list of more dangerous areas in advance to avoid visiting them. Such areas can be found in many cities around the world.

Banking

There are about 30 banks in the country, including European ones, such as OTP Bank. Bank cards are issued to holders of a residence card (residence permit) and can be closed if not used. It takes about 3 weeks to get one.

Banks offer standard services: loans, deposits, mortgages. Stores accept Visa, MasterCard, and Bulgarian levs.