Like our Facebook page. 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. Infrastructure (particularly roads and sidewalks) is bad, improvements to it are slow and slipshod, and these things which you overlook when you first move somewhere can grate on the nerves after a handful of years. You can safely leave your car unlocked and enjoy peace of mind knowing that nobody will touch it. Required fields are marked *. Good education 4. They are the success story of post communism leading a free-loading and pay-for-nothing lives, as well as the beneficiaries of state benefits and hand-outs. And young Bulgarians are friendly and open, happy to chat with someone and always a bit curious why a foreigner is living in Bulgaria. If you are trying to familiarise yourself with the country, its worth watching some episodes. This charming city is home to many expats, from students studying in the prestigious Medical University to retirees seeking the comfort of a beautiful and fulfilling city by the sea. For people living in BiH: Istraivanje ekonomskog ponaanja u BiH i drugim zemljama Question Istraujemo kakve finansijske izbore prave stanovnici BiH i drugih zemalja. The expat scene in Sofia is small but tight-knit. We get so many emails about this subject and it has taken a lot of research to get to the bottom of this question. Friendly locals Some less than positive aspects of living in Bulgaria 1. The city is also rich in all types of necessary institutions and amenities to make your stay comfortable and stress-free. Housing in Bulgaria. Living in Bulgaria! 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. Read more in Expatras guide to international removals. Next up on the list is Plovdiv, Bulgarias second-largest city. To keep informed, check ourLiving In Europe After Brexit guide on a regular basis. Bulgariais 42.72%lowerthan inthe United States. Varna is a whole different story. Bulgarias second city and Europes 2019 capital of culture. You may need to renounce your UK citizenship, depending on your. Outside, expats are more widely dispersed than in many countries, from Varna, on the Black Sea, to ski resort Bansko. Popovo may not be a large city but it also has delicious food to offer in a few quality restaurants. The city didnt resonate with me immediately, but after a few weeks of staying in Sofia, I slowly began to fall in love with all that it had to offer. Plovdiv doesnt have an underground but it does offer bus transportation to most parts of the city. You know when everyone was smiling? When it comes to the cost of living, the average monthly budget of a family of four ranges between 2,500 lv (1,091/$1,511) and 3,000 lv (1,309/$1,813) without rent. On the other hand, many have fallen in love with Bulgarias old-world charm and tradition, some likening it to 1950s Britain. It features links to official resources containing major Brexit information. For a single person, a good monthly budget would be 750 lv (327/$453). 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. Burgas a cultural hub on the coast of the Black Sea, 6. 12- Bulgarian people was described as outrageously beautiful. the fertility rate in Bulgaria is 1.43child per woman. You will need a Bulgarian bank account in order to buy property, residents told us. In addition, Kapana (The Trap), Plovdivs creative district attracts people of all ages with art and creativity. We started Robe Trotting to share our experiences. As an American, its really difficult, near impossible, to get a visa to live in Sofia unless you work for a company who sponsors your visa, study in the country, or start a business that hires at least 10 Bulgarians. One of the factors behind the outsourcing success. Bulgaria Schengen Visa, all you need to know! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 - Expatra Ltd. UK Company Number 09686420. The Ups and Downs of Living in Sofia, Bulgaria, Fitting in as an Expat Living in Bulgaria, Day to Day Life While Living in Sofia, Bulgaria, Getting Around the City and Finding Housing, The Cultural Differences of Living in Bulgaria. Im doing my due diligence in order to come to a sound decision. Recently, the city port has been renovated and improved, with a ton of new restaurants, nightclubs, and bars to visit. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages cost on average 65% less, and clothing costs are 75% less than the European Union average. Our most popular evergreen guides are kept fresh and up-to-date by our in-house research team. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 - Expatra Ltd. UK Company Number 09686420. Thats for a 40 hour week. especially older generations have extensive knowledge on small farming, food conservation, and of course, the best way to grow your own tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. The city is connected via a well-developed bus transport network. I was about to leave Sofia and try somewhere else in Europe, as I was so frustrated by the process of moving here, when I met the man who would later be my husband! The locals are friendly and speak good English, making it easy for expats to get around. 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. You can live a pretty luxurious life without checking your budget too frequently without thinking too much about it. Perhaps, it never really was. In addition, most central areas are now part of the Blue Zone, meaning that parking is not free. Hi Allison. You can literally do anything you want on a shoestring budget. Ill be forthright and say that Sofia is definitely not the easiest city to live in in Europe, and its not for everyone. Many people commute to Sofia from here. The Greek neighbourhood is also an area that expats love to explore as it offers amazing architecture, small vibrant streets, and attractive street shops and coffee shops. Life is Not Like the Movies Everyone thinks of California as a hippie paradise with no stress and a serene culture. In Bulgaria, you should expect to pay personal income tax and homeowners tax, as well as vehicle tax and a fee for rubbish collection. There are also a number of bus lines you can take to get to most regions. 10 minuta, anonimno i nije dosadno! 10- We can set aside a paragraph about local wine and Rakia (kind of Brandy), the climate allows grow grapes for homemade wine preparation, and fruits especially plums and apricots for Rakia, many people have their own small distillery at home, but lately, the government is trying to cut down moonshine production, not sure it is working anyway. As the country is becoming more popular with expats, they discover other locations as well. You also need to check the validity of your driver license in Bulgaria before start driving, paying bribes to the police is a practice that slowly disappearing (this is my own experience since I have got few tickets on the road, but never been asked for money). Just because Bansko is a popular ski destination doesnt mean that youll freeze living there. Theres a youthfulness to the city that I find extremely inspiring, with young people constantly opening new businesses. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bansko is a great destination for expats looking to enjoy a bit of hiking, skiing, cycling, and nature in general. A popular tourist destination, Veliko Tarnovo contains an old spirit yet offers a modern experience at the same time. The cost of living in Bulgaria is $739, which is 1.32 times less expensive than the world average. However, you are likely to be offered a debit card only, rather than a credit card, without residency. Romania has the fastest internet anywhere on the continent. 14- There is still poverty in Bulgaria. In this vlog, we explore some of the best reasons in retiring to one of Europe's most affordable . Living in the village, youll notice that its segmented into two main parts the one close to the cable car (a popular winter area) and the normal village, which is where most people prefer to live in spring, autumn and summer. The Old Town is like an outdoor museum, full of old churches, mansions, and souvenir shops. Depending on your lifestyle, you can live as basically or as liberally as you choose here. But yes, Bulgaria is still rapidly losing population, so it needs people to come (back) and contribute. Finally, Bulgarians can be very friendly and welcoming, and they can adjust well to having foreign residents within their community. There are multiple groups on Facebook that can help you. 8- Bulgarian Cuisine: Thats why food is amazing a Balcan mixture that produces an interesting cuisine that relies on fresh vegetables during the summer, like Chopska Salad (on the picture) and Tarator soup, the traditional cold cucumber soup, more strong dishes for the winter time: baked Pork with sourekraut. Bulgarian state-run schools often operate with outdated equipment and old material bases. Read more in our full article, The Pros And Cons Of Living In Bulgaria. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. and there are also few flights that connect both cities in less than an hour. They tend to be the ones who have a solid income in place, and who are willing to learn the local language and completely adapt. 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. Its comfortably positioned in the eastern part of the Danube plain, in whats considered one of Bulgarias most fertile lands Dobrudja. We were so lucky to visit Plovdiv while there was a cultural festival on. That is one of the biggest reasons not to move to California." 4. (Dreamstime/TNS) HO Learn how your comment data is processed. To the west of Sofia is the spa town of Bankya, about 20-30 minutes away. Thats a surprisingly big number for a country of just seven million inhabitants smaller than the city of London. 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. 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. With over 90 neighbourhoods, you can expect a different vibe in every city area. Although Bulgaria is a member of the EU, they still have their own currency, Leva. Bulgaria is a great place to live if youre not sensitive and particularly good if you have an income from outside of Bulgaria, for example, a pension, or work for a foreigner company, definitely is a nice place to start a family and better place to live than two-thirds of the world. Bulgarian Citizenship by Naturalization, step By step! 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.) Other Black Sea resorts include Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, St Constantine and Helena. Staying connected back home is tough, and being an expat in Sofia during the times of coronavirus, its been a lot harder. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. There are eight municipalities in Dobrich and they all deserve consideration. Private health cover is highly advisable and, although plans are expensive in comparison to the cost of state medical treatment, they are still cheaper than in other countries. It makes calculating costs a breeze! For retirees, its also the perfect place for a walk by the sea during the day. We hope that this guide will come in handy and will help you choose the best place that will meet your expectations. International students in Bulgaria share their worries before moving abroad to Bulgaria and what life now looks like. You can comfortably walk around the towns streets at 3 AM knowing that youre completely safe. Just be careful if youre taking a walk to the bar with food in your hands. Whenever I go out to a restaurant, its almost always in Oborishte! Fruit and vegetables are for sale everywhere and are the most delicious. A lot of things go into a custody decision and corresponding parenting plan, writes Dr. Jann Blackstone. Some of them would effortlessly win modeling competitions. Therefore, if youare considering Bulgaria, it is one of those nations where preconceptions count for very little. I have a few local friends, but mostly Ive stuck to the expat community, as my husband works with mostly Portuguese people and my business partner here is American. The small town is a brilliant place to live in all year long. Living in the city, you can still feel the magnificent presence of the glorious fortress. Another estimated 2,000-6,000 live in Bulgaria part-time, and are thus not registered as permanent residents. In Bulgaria they can afford a pretty affluent life. Im in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend who works in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is not until students reach the 10th grade that they can slightly personalise their educational curriculum. 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