Moving to Bulgaria from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to Bulgaria? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 30.2% cheaper than Spain overall. A €64,304 salary in Spain would need to be roughly BGN85,608 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 Spain and Bulgaria.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → BGN85,608
To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 37.3% less
Groceries
pay 16.7% less
Transportation
pay 29.7% less
Housing
pay 53.7% less
Childcare
pay 20.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.4% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Spain to Bulgaria.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Bulgaria compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Spain 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
Spain performs 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
Bulgaria generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain 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
Bulgaria generally does better on employment & economy, though Spain 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
Spain performs better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, 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 | Madrid | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Bulgaria
Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holder visiting Spain
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 Spain?
On average Bulgaria is about 32% less expensive than Spain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?
Budget about BGN21,402 for 3 months in Bulgaria (based on a €64,304 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?
Spain 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 Spain. About 86% of people in Bulgaria feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Spain?
Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Bulgaria?
The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
