Moving to Bulgaria: 4 years in another country

I have long been asked to write about my life in Bulgaria, ways of earning and quality of life. 4 years have passed since I have been here, I have a clear idea about the country and its features, I decided to share with the community.



My post is for those who are thinking about moving and do not know where.

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Why Bulgaria?

It was necessary to move out from their parents, but it was impossible to afford an apartment in Moscow, now with% of mortgage and even more so. Yes, and in the regions, housing prices are comparable to the cost of housing in Europe, so why not study the market offers, especially since the work is remote, and in principle it does not matter where you are in the world.

1. + The country is part of the European Union, while without the Schengen Agreement and the euro, however, the laws are respected, there is a struggle against corruption, no one squeezes business, you feel like a "European".
2. + Despite the EU, the mentality is close to Russian, Slavic. Easier to communicate, find a common language. I did not consider Asian countries (Thailand, etc.) due to personal discomfort surrounded by an alien culture and a different climate. A plus can also be called historical ties. There, Russians are perceived positively, as Tsar Alexander granted independence from the Turks.
3. The climate is southern, “Sochi”, there is, although Black, but the sea (in summer), mountains (in winter). Initially, I wanted to leave the megalopolis, to live near the sea coast, as I was tired of the Moscow weather, poisoned air ... In winter there are frosts, but the weather is stable around 0, and in sunny weather the rays pleasantly heat the skin.
4. + Property prices are low. However, with a sharp fall in the ruble, of course, this figure almost leveled off with country housing in Russia. Studio apartment can, if you search, buy from 10 000 euros. Two cars from 20,000, houses in good condition from 40,000. And all this in 15-20 minutes from the sea. Property rental starts from 100 euros. For 300-400 you can already find very decent apartments in a good area.
5. + Bulgaria is located close to Russia, Ukraine is already through Romania, and there it is within reach of us. I traveled by car to Russia 3 times and back through the Ukrainian route (even in 2014, but in Bulgarian numbers) and once by the European route through Poland-Belarus. Fly 2.5-3.5 hours to Moscow. There are regular flights, in the summer there are a lot of charters to many cities of Russia. Airline tickets depend on seasonality - from 15 (this is if in June to fly to Russia) to 200 euros (during peak season) in one direction. On average, it is possible to find and match for 250 round trips.

Legal moments.

In Europe, and in many other countries, when buying or renting a property, no one will immediately be allowed to live peacefully on a permanent basis. Maximum - multivisa, which gives the right to live only 90 days in the first half of the year. For permanent residence requires a number of conditions to obtain a residence permit (residence permit). Bulgaria is one of the easiest countries to get it. The basis is the opening of a representative office of a foreign company. Those. ask friends who have an LLC to make you a representative of their company in Bulgaria. It is necessary, of course, to run decently with pieces of paper, but consider it as a quest, and everything will be fine. The preparation takes from 500 to 2000 euros (if by yourself or through intermediaries). Yes, in essence, you are creating a fictitious enterprise, however, this is absolutely legal. It is even easier for pensioners - to establish a residence permit, it is enough to have a pension not lower than ~ 80 euros per month. Those. as an option, if you have a problem with housing, you can arrange for your parents a good old age, if you agree to relocate to Bulgaria. Of course, not forgetting to visit them in a multivisa up to 90 days in the first half of the year or in the Schengen period, for which they are also allowed.

It is quite easy to get a Bulgarian multivisa through an agency (~ 4000 rubles), simply by filling out a questionnaire. Without evidence, references and other red tape.

However, Bulgaria, though in the European Union, but not in the Schengen zone. So, to go somewhere else in Europe you still have to do other visas. When you have a residence permit - you can apply for a Schengen visa directly from Bulgaria, from the local embassies in Sofia. The Bulgarian visa gives you the right to visit Croatia, Romania and Cyprus. Next door visa-free Serbia and Turkey (very close to the metropolis - Istanbul). So you can travel across the Balkans without additional visas, there will be enough impressions for the first time.

The status of a residence permit must be renewed every year, the cost of all procedures is about 600 euros. After 5 years, you have the right to receive permanent residence status - there will be no need to run around with pieces of paper and then no longer need to renew. After another 5 years, you can apply for citizenship (if you are not too lazy to learn a language).

We are looking for housing in Bulgaria

Large winter resorts are marked with snowflakes, but the hills are closer to the sea, although not so steep.

A little help: Bulgaria is the poorest country in the European Union, the average salary is about 300 euros. In the east it is washed by the Black Sea. Off the coast there are only 2 major cities with international airports: Varna (400,000 inhabitants) and Burgas (200,000 inhabitants) + one million tourists in the summer. Many resorts, including the largest Golden Sands and Sunny Beach. The country is sunny (up to 300 sunny days a year), the rest of the winter is 0 + 5, and the swimming season is from the beginning of May to the end of September. 130 km between Varna and Burgas, the range of housing search is between these two cities along the coast and 30-40 km inland if you want to buy a house, not an apartment.

The action algorithm was as follows: first, to fly simply as a tourist for a trip of 2-3 weeks and see what kind of country it is, how comfortable it is, what are the prospects, quality of life, etc.
In advance in Russia, we look at the proposed options, save the favorites and houses to your favorites and print them out.
We are settling in a 3-star hotel of the Soviet type in Sunny Beach. Rent a car.



Here for the first time you will encounter a language barrier. Although the Bulgarian language is similar to Russian in text form, you will most likely not understand the speech, since the stress is very different, it sounds like a mixture of Ukrainian and Turkish. It will be necessary to turn off the introvert a little and speak English or Russian with the owners or agencies. I did not feel a strong language barrier as such. Young people learn English, and the older generation remembers Russian at the school level. Before the trip, buy and read a Bulgarian phrase book - it will immediately become much clearer.

Features when buying a property:

1. If you want to buy a house, then you have to register a company for the purchase of land, among other things. Since the land is not sold in private hands to foreigners, but only jur. individuals. Costs + 200-300 euros.
2. The quality of construction with rare exceptions is very mediocre. Keep this in mind.
3. In Bulgaria, where there is rarely central heating and hot water. All are heated by stoves, fireplaces or simply good powerful air conditioners. Water is heated by boilers.
4. If you buy an apartment in a closed-type house, then you incur additional expenses for security, maintenance, etc. (200-1500 euros per year) and to abandon this burden is very, very difficult. I tried not to consider this type of property.
5. The area is indicated taking into account all the walls, so in reality it is much smaller.
6. The whole transaction takes place rather quickly at the notary. Proof of ownership is a Notary Act.

A full-fledged alternative to buying a home can be renting for quite humane 200-400 euros per month. Real estate is full, and during the crisis it is being sold even more actively, by the same Russians, who give very good discounts, bargain.

Having traveled to villages and villages, resort towns, I finally became convinced that I wanted to live in the city. The village is very similar to those in the south of Russia or Ukraine, it’s boring and nothing to do, there is a minimal likelihood of robbery by Roma if you leave it empty for a long time. Also, it will always be necessary to go to the center in search of entertainment, which quickly gets bored.

The resort centers of Sunny Beach and Golden Sands are also not recommended. The atmosphere of these places is perfectly transferred to the h./f. "Overgrown" or numerous videos on Youtube . This is “budget Ibiza”, where the provincial youth from all over Europe flies for the summer. But it's one thing to hang out there for a couple of weeks, visit the Armin Van Buuren or FatBoy Slim dj sets right on the beach, and the other is to constantly live in such an environment. Moreover, in winter, the number of residents there tends to zero, all the establishments and shops are boarded up, the triumph of gloom.

There remain Burgas, Varna and their immediate surroundings - as permanently operating regional centers with a developed infrastructure and all the necessary. Keep in mind that in the northwest near Burgas there is a large refinery of Lukoil, it is better to choose another part of the city. In Varna, there are frequent cases of large traffic jams in the center, although they are far from Moscow.


Typical Burgas

Spend on the country, ride along the coast is better for at least 2 weeks. Also, if you are not inclined to take decisive action, I can advise you to rent an apartment in your favorite area and live there to understand whether it is yours or not. Only in this way you will form an understanding of the environment around you and you will make the final decision of what you want. 2 weeks was enough for me, the choice was made rather urgent, but quite successful. As a result of my smotrin, I purchased a 2 bedroom apartment in a district remote from the center of Bourgas in a house built in 2009 with empty walls for finishing for 25,000 euros. For repairs, furniture and appliances I had to spend another 12,000 euros, but I got what I wanted. To the sea, go 20 minutes by bus or 10 by car. One can see the mountains, the lake and a little sea from the window. House with very friendly Bulgarians-tenants. Top floor and only 1 apartment with neighbors per floor. On the registration of the transaction took only 1 day.


View from the terrace, the poor houses of the socialist camp on the outskirts

Life in Bulgaria

In general, the environment, people, life, differ little from the Russian, just add the sun and the sea, as a result, some slowness in behavior.

the cost of living

In Bulgaria, the local currency is left, the exchange rate is strictly tied to the euro and never changes. (In the event of the collapse of the Eurozone, they will probably only untie it, as if such a safety net). ~ 1.95 lev for 1 euro. For ease of understanding I will write prices in euros.

1. Products are cheaper by 20-50% and better, it is impossible to break away from meat, fruits and vegetables in the summer. According to my calculations, food from supermarkets takes 5-10 euros per day. A lot of yummy “banned” from Germany, France.
2. The average bill in a cafe, restaurant - 10-15 euros for two. Sushi for some reason expensive. In Chinese restaurants, portions are indecently huge, always take the rest home.
3. Appliances, computers, telephones, etc., are more expensive, and they mostly trade in past models (TV, washers, etc.), it is better to order from Germany, China or carry from Russia.
4. Gasoline / diesel costs 0.8 euros per liter, so everyone rides on economical small cars. The cost has fallen dramatically after oil has fallen in price.
5. The cost of electricity compared to Moscow, but is spent more, especially in the winter, as the heating and heating of water on electricity. In winter, there is more than 60-70 euros per apartment. In summer 2-4 times cheaper, depending on the frequency of use of the air conditioner. But the savings on rent. The tax on housing I have 80 euros per year. It includes garbage collection. + In addition, tenants are discarded for tenants per cleaner and elevator service.
6. The fare in the bus 0.5 euro
7. City beaches are free.
8. The infrastructure is well developed, everywhere is 3G, cable Internet is at good speeds for comparable money (10 euros> 20 Mbit), there is competition.

Work in Bulgaria

There are no jobs in Bulgaria for a foreigner. Even officially finding a job is very difficult. For local 500 euros - is considered a good salary. Come here only if you are a freelancer, a startup, etc. with a stable income or already retired. However, having lived for a year, having studied the local needs, the market, if you wish, you can try to open your own business. Fortunately, the initial investment is minimal. Rent of offices, places for a shop are not comparable with Moscow (from 100 euros). There is a story on Picaba , as a family from Odessa successfully spins the network (3 points) of coffee shops in Burgas.

People in Bulgaria

The mentality is very similar to ours. Same values. In the bulk of the people live quite modestly. However, one can see the development of the state, since 2012 the city has greatly changed for the better. The construction of the ice arena is underway, bicycle lanes are made everywhere, bicycle transport is being developed.
With a traffic cop it is better to pretend to be a felt boot, scorch and release or send a fine to the post office. It makes no sense to bribe. I was pleasantly surprised by the work of state structures. Though there is a certain “scoop” in everything, but service and courtesy come first. For example, when you register a car, the employees themselves fix the frame, put the numbers and tighten the screws.
They treat the Russians generally positively, always smiling, wondering, they like to chat and joke.
They like to drink strong black coffee, workers, loaders, etc. always offer it and pour it. In my opinion, this is not very accepted in my opinion, but they are swimming straight in a smile and immediately treat you much better.
Builders-repairmen, however, can easily inflate prices, since you are a foreigner, so call in advance or invite several offices, make a budget, an agreement so that everything is clear and there is no deception. Work, by the way, carelessly and slowly. The profile of the master Already - the better his work. Either find the masters on the recommendations or ask the neighbors who did them (if well done) and call them.
Local girls are ugly, in Sofia better. Come with your wife or girlfriend, otherwise you will be doomed to constantly ride on Sunny Beach or Golden Sands for making short-term holiday romance with tourists.

Buying a car

Buying a car is possible for foreigners only to the company or representative office. Therefore, you need to take care that the company has already been registered. Registration for about a week, 200-300 euros from local lawyers or accountants, so as not to run around with the papers. Starting capital - 1 euro, legal address, you can safely specify your apartment. Later, ask the accountant to reflect the car on the balance sheet when you hand over the annual report. There is also nothing complicated.
Since Bulgaria is part of the EU, it does not have any thresholds for import and unrealistic duties on the used. auto. Carry the truth mostly trash from Italy and Germany. The choice must be very careful and meticulous. More or less something can be found only in Sofia. Sofia is located in the depths of the Balkan Peninsula, 400 km from the coast. Late in the evening we take a bus and in the early morning you are already there. Select in advance what you want to buy, ask for price, write down the addresses of salons or markets (See the websites of cars.bg, mobile.bg), pre-book a rental car to drive through the car market to choose and bargain. Then, as usual, you go with the seller to the nearest service for diagnostics, then you make out the sale and purchase at the Traffic Police (CAT) and deregister. Set as in Russia at the place of registration of the company. The older and more voracious the car, the cheaper it is. According to the Russian habit, I bought a big SUV (Grand Cherokee) of 2004 on a diesel and an automatic machine for (!) 250000 rubles (at the old rate, ~ 5000 for 2012) with all taxes.
In principle, for this money you can buy a very fresh and vigorous hatchback or station wagon is much more economical, there are many options. Travel on it for more than three years in different countries, including 4 times went to Russia and back.

If you are a fan of some rare cars - then there is paradise for you, you can search and find a stainless specimen in a decent condition, which are almost gone in Russia. I could not resist and realized my childhood dream - I bought a Ford Probe for (!) 1000 euros.

Oddly enough, the year is already great rides.

Disadvantages and prejudices

- Gypsies - yes, they come across. Sometimes digging in the trash, children ask for trifles from shopping centers. No more troubles do not deliver. Bulgarians all the time chasing and yelling at them. There are gypsy villages. Somehow, for the sake of interest, I drove there - nothing happened to me, although it was very colorful.
- Not prestigious. Yes, it's not all Europe in the narrow sense. In many places felt remnants of soc. camps
- The Black Sea is still clean, I like it.
- Bulgarians love to litter, it is necessary to conduct explanatory conversations with neighbors, shame them and retrain. In my house there are 3 Russian families - they slowly together taught to be clean and tidy.
It seems to be all.

Perspectives and conclusions

Bulgaria is the most budget-friendly option of moving to the EU country and further living with benefits in the form of good nature, the sea, the sun and proper nutrition. Health is the most important thing in the end. I recommend for people with limited financial capabilities or not ready to immediately leave their home.
Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians in Bulgaria every year becomes more and more. I invite you too.

Alternative countries:

I wrote out my options below, which I considered when searching, and argued why I was not ready for them:
1. Montenegro. Real estate is twice as expensive. Nature, landscapes, the sea, of course, better. But not in the EU. Bulgaria's closest competitor.
2. Italy, Spain, Greece. Everything is more expensive than twice. "Prestigious." It is difficult to get a residence permit. Perhaps, as the next country, after receiving permanent residence in Bulgaria.
3. Latvia. Cold sea, climate, difficulties with a residence permit.
4. Cyprus. Expensive twice. An island, and this means that when traveling by car you can put up a cross. (I do not really like airplanes).
5. Turkey, Egypt. Cheaper. The mentality is different. Political unpredictability. The climate is hot.
6. United States. You can get a visa for 3 years, and live, and then - as lucky. It is necessary to decide on such a distant voyage, most likely you do not fly home often. The mentality of an amateur. (It’s not legal to live long on a visa, see below comments)
7. Asian countries - a completely different mentality. Long away.

Write your questions as far as I can, I will try to complement and answer.