I run several travel blogs, including one focused on Bulgaria and the Balkans, and I make a living for myself that way and by occasionally taking on freelance writing projects or other sponsored work. Its located near the geographic centre of the country and is the midpoint between Varna and Sofia. Bulgaria is a country withvery affordablehotels, restaurants and home appliances compared to the rest of the European Union. 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. The area around ulitsa Tsar Simeon also has great nightlife, and thats where I go out. The environment is extremely laid back and youll notice that everyone speaks English. 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. Living in the city, you can still feel the magnificent presence of the glorious fortress. A lot of people describe Bansko as a small outdoor paradise. Paperwork can be painful. 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. 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. Plovdiv doesnt have an underground but it does offer bus transportation to most parts of the city. 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. It is not until students reach the 10th grade that they can slightly personalise their educational curriculum. Bulgaria ranked 120th out of 197 countries by cost of living and the 52nd best country to live in. Its the perfect place to explore what nature has to offer and connect with our planet. I will be the first to admit that a lot of my struggle here is because I havent acclimated here nearly as much as I should have: I still dont speak much of the language, and I struggle to find new and creative ways to put the 500-odd words of Bulgarian I speak into new configurations without having to ever conjugate a verb. It may take up to 14 days for your application to be approved, after which you may still have to return to the branch to actually open the account. A lot of things go into a custody decision and corresponding parenting plan, writes Dr. Jann Blackstone. Heavy snow in winter, driving a little zanier than you are used to in the UK and potholes mean you will probably want a four-wheel-drive vehicle and will drive on the right side of the road. 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. Homeless Man Murdered In Broad Daylight In St. Louis While Others Watch. A single person can do well with around 800 lv (349/$483), rent excluded. From our contacts and from forums, the answer is yes: you can still open a Bulgarian bank account as a non-resident (although one Bulgarian, who had helped a non-resident Greek contact open an account recently, told us it was a challenging task). before your trip. Hot summers and cold winters. 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. There are certainly those expats who have made a very positive life change by moving to Bulgaria. 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. But when I used to live in the center, I walked nearly everywhere. "In some ways I feel like a local, but in most ways I still feel like an outsider.". 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. Now You Know Everything About Living in Bulgaria. (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? Thats a surprisingly big number for a country of just seven million inhabitants smaller than the city of London. I hate to be the bearer of bad news however my children were withdrawn from this small private school (one and only private school in Bourgas and very near to Hotel Bulgaria which 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. A. Driving a car around the city centre may be difficult as parking is an issue. The men tend to physically look after themselves well, that makes it a good place to look for your better half and get married if you still dont. The Sea Garden is a destination where both locals and expats love to spend their days, surrounded by nature and calm vibes. 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. Your email address will not be published. Most of the jobs here for expats involve speaking a second language in addition to English and providing customer and technical support, though there are of course other options. Place where they grow fruits and vegetables for their needs, its a tradition to go on weekends and on vacations to the small farm and work the land. A hugely popular coastal city on the Black Sea with its own direct budget flights from the UK, this beach town has also become a business hub. I live on the western side of Sofia, halfway between Lyulin (the largest communist block area) and the center. Most restaurants have lunch specials generally between 12 2 pm and you can have the special for about 56 leva. Like our Facebook page. Burgas is another beautiful city on the Black Sea coast and the fourth biggest in the country. While Bulgaria is developing slowly after rising up from its darker days of communism, the country still has a way to go in terms of being progressive. The 9 Best Places To Live In Bulgaria As An Expat, Living In Bulgaria: Essential Expat Guide 2023, The British Expats Who Bought A Ruin In Bulgaria, 7 Reasons To Consider Living In Plovdiv, Bulgaria, The Ins And Outs Of Living In Sofia, Bulgaria As An Expat, An Essential Guide To Living in Varna, Bulgaria As An Expat, Positive aspects of expat life in Bulgaria, Some less than positive aspects of living in Bulgaria, 2. As in any other EU country, in Bulgaria, you will need EHIC to access public healthcare as a Bulgarian resident. However, despite the flaws, living in Sofia has a lot of benefits. She spends her time running travel websites: Eternal Arrival, Sofia Adventures, and California Crossroads and co-hosting a weekly podcast about anxiety, Im Anxious About. Once you have been resident in Bulgaria for five years, you canapply for Bulgarian citizenship. You need to speak the language 2. One thing thats been a really positive change is that as a woman, I feel a lot safer in Bulgaria. In a country where the minimum wage is 286 (245) a month, according to Eurostat, rents and utilities are low and a foreign pension can go a long way. For people living in BiH: Istraivanje ekonomskog ponaanja u BiH i drugim zemljama Question Istraujemo kakve finansijske izbore prave stanovnici BiH i drugih zemalja. Late EastEnders actor Leslie Grantham had to learn Bulgarian to star in Bulgarian TV series The English Neighbour in 2010, about a retired British chemist who sets up home in the fictional village of Plodorodno. For a family of four, 3,200 lv (1,404/$1,941) excluding rent is a fair monthly budget. Finally, Bulgarians can be very friendly and welcoming, and they can adjust well to having foreign residents within their community. The majority of expats moving to Bulgaria consider living in Sofia first. Im in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend who works in Sofia, Bulgaria. You can comfortably walk around the towns streets at 3 AM knowing that youre completely safe. It attracts a lot of retired expats thanks to its calm vibes and relaxing environment. Its very cheap, super reliable and very widespread. Britons will have to go through the immigration procedures set for non-EU citizens. A lot of educated Bulgarians work in the IT and outsourcing sector which is huge here. Whats more, those who took their time exploring the nation before committing to one city, town or village based on only limited research have settled in more effectively. In this vlog, we explore some of the best reasons in retiring to one of Europe's most affordable . If youre wondering about where you want to spend your time as an expat retiree, Bulgaria is certainly among the top choices. Read more in our full article, The Pros And Cons Of Living In Bulgaria. A monthly budget of 1,200 lv ($722/530) for a family or two will offer a perfect way of living, rent excluded. In Bulgaria they can afford a pretty affluent life. That is one of the biggest reasons not to move to California." 4. As an expat, I have to admit, living conditions here are a bit discordant. 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. Regards, Hi Mark, you can find detailed information on various locations in Bulgaria in our location guides here: https://expatra.com/guides/bulgaria/. Dealing with those could literally shorten your life span! One of the factors behind the outsourcing success. Bulgarian Citizenship by Naturalization, step By step! Punishment includes imprisonment from 1 to 4 years, a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 leva . Bulgaria makes it onto Expatras list of the cheapest countries to retire and is also on our hugely popular annual list of the best places to retire abroad from the UK. They attract a very good salary which they can live on here exceptionally well, especially if they work remotely for a company from abroad. 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. 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! My building is new construction across the street from old communist blocks, so theres a bit of contrast in my neighborhood. 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. 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. People from Bulgaria can dance! Bulgarias cost of living is low only for those who earn above the average in the country. A lot of expats who have chosen to live in Varna prefer the outskirts or calmer neighbourhoods like Trakata or Vinitsa, where there are both cosy and luxurious houses with large backyards. Also, note that most banks will not offer joint accounts. As someone that. Bulgaria is a nation that has retained its national identity, history, culture and tradition it has certainly not sold out to the west. The existing rules, agreements, and arrangements between Bulgaria and the UK changed after Brexit. When you have held a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria for 5 years, you can apply for Bulgarian citizenship (in Bulgarian).