Moving to Bulgaria from Austria
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Austria to Bulgaria — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Austria to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 48.0% cheaper than Austria overall. A €65,577 salary in Austria would need to be roughly BGN72,945 in Bulgaria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bulgarian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Austria to Bulgaria.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → BGN72,945
To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 52.0% less
Groceries
pay 42.5% less
Transportation
pay 35.0% less
Housing
pay 68.5% less
Childcare
pay 47.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Austria to Bulgaria, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Austria and Bulgaria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Austria performs better than Bulgaria across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Austria generally does better on environment, though Bulgaria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Austria generally does better on infrastructure, though Bulgaria leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Austria generally does better on employment & economy, though Bulgaria leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Austria performs better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Vienna | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vienna | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) |
| Feb | 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) |
| Mar | 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) |
| Apr | 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) |
| May | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) |
| Aug | 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) |
| Dec | 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
GeoSphere Austria,
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Austria and Bulgaria. To live, work, or study long-term in Bulgaria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Bulgaria's immigration authority.
Austria passport holder visiting Bulgaria
Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holder visiting Austria
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Bulgaria than Austria?
Generally yes: Bulgaria runs about 43% cheaper than Austria on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,577 comparable salary, that's around BGN18,236 in Bulgaria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Bulgaria?
With 35.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Bulgaria can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Austria and Bulgaria.
Is Bulgaria safe for expats?
Austria performs better than Bulgaria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Austria.
How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Austria?
Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 49.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Bulgaria, compared to 55.1 in Austria. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Austria: 85).
What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to Austria?
The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 58°F in Vienna. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Vienna gets 24.4 in.
What language do they speak in Bulgaria?
The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Austria, the official language is German.
