Moving to Bulgaria from Poland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Poland to Bulgaria? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Poland to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 18.6% cheaper than Poland overall. A PLN272,174 salary in Poland would need to be roughly BGN102,673 in Bulgaria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bulgarian.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Poland and Bulgaria.

What does your salary buy?

PLN272,174 BGN102,673

To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 20.4% less

Groceries

pay 9.5% more

Transportation

pay 16.6% less

Housing

pay 45.9% less

Childcare

pay 6.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 27.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PLN = 0.4621 BGN (June 2026)

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?

What the data shows about people moving from Poland to Bulgaria.

Living there in 2020
1,946 ↑ 35% vs 2015

people born in Poland live in Bulgaria · UN DESA

Who's moving to Bulgaria?

Top countries of origin for Bulgaria's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Bulgaria compared to Poland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

PL
0.7
BG
1.1
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

PL
11%
BG
86%

Poland generally does better on safety, though Bulgaria leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PL
$3,939
BG
$2,970
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PL
33.9
BG
49.0

Bulgaria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PL
41.0
BG
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PL
7.6t
BG
5.3t

Poland generally does better on environment, though Bulgaria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PL
23.0
BG
35.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PL
32.1%
BG
37.5%

Bulgaria generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PL
2.9%
BG
4.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PL
$44,100
BG
$33,300

Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though Bulgaria leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PL
78.8 yrs
BG
75.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PL
4.2
BG
8.0

Poland performs better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Poland, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Sofia Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
59° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Warsaw Sofia
Jan–Mar 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) 68°/48°F (20°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Warsaw Sofia
Jan 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C)
Feb 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C)
Mar 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C)
Apr 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C)
May 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C)
Jun 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C)
Jul 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C)
Aug 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C)
Sep 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C)
Oct 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C)
Nov 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C)
Dec 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C)

Data: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Poland 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.

Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting Bulgaria

Visa Free
Poland passport holders can enter Bulgaria without a visa.
Bulgaria passport

Bulgaria passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holders can enter Poland without a visa.

Data: 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 Poland?

On average Bulgaria is about 18% less expensive than Poland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?

Budget about BGN25,668 for 3 months in Bulgaria (based on a PLN272,174 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Bulgaria?

Connectivity is usually fine (Bulgaria: 35.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Bulgaria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Bulgaria safe for expats?

Poland generally does better on safety, though Bulgaria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Poland. About 86% of people in Bulgaria feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Poland?

Bulgaria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in health coverage index. There are 49.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Bulgaria, compared to 33.9 in Poland. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).

What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to Poland?

The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in Bulgaria?

The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Poland, the official language is Polish.

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At a Glance

PL BG
Population 38,093,101 6,873,253
Currency Polish Zloty (PLN) Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
Languages Polish Bulgarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +48 +359
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112