Moving to Italy from Bulgaria
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Bulgaria to Italy — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Bulgaria to Italy, you would find that Italy is 73.4% more expensive than Bulgaria overall. A BGN128,505 salary in Bulgaria would need to be roughly €98,703 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Rome averages 69°F vs 59°F in Sofia, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Bulgaria to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
BGN128,505 → €98,703
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 75.0% more
Groceries
pay 51.9% more
Transportation
pay 83.9% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 48.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 84.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Italy cost about 36% more than cities in Bulgaria.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Bulgaria to Italy, based on official data.
people moved from Bulgaria to Italy · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Bulgaria to Italy.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Italy generally does better on safety, though Bulgaria leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Italy 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
Italy performs significantly better than Bulgaria across all environment metrics.
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
Bulgaria generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in water stress level.
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
Bulgaria generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Italy performs significantly better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.
Data: National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria, 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 | Sofia | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sofia | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bulgaria and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
Bulgaria passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Free
Italy passport holder visiting Bulgaria
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 Italy than Bulgaria?
No — Italy is on average about 50% more expensive than Bulgaria. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €24,676 in Italy on a BGN128,505 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Italy?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Italy has 31.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Italy safe for expats?
Italy generally does better on safety, though Bulgaria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bulgaria. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to Bulgaria?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 49.0 in Bulgaria. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bulgaria: 73).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to Bulgaria?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 59°F in Sofia. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sofia gets 22.5 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In Bulgaria, the official language is Bulgarian.
