Moving to Bulgaria from Sweden
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sweden to Bulgaria — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Sweden to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 42.4% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK740,000 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly BGN75,000 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 ↓Is Bulgaria cheaper than Sweden?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 26.8% less
Groceries
pay 36.5% less
Transportation
pay 37.6% less
Housing
pay 55.8% less
Childcare
pay 47.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 51.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Bulgaria?
What does your salary buy?
SEK740,000 → BGN75,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria
Calculate with your salary →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 Bulgaria cost about 28% less than cities in Sweden.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Sweden to Bulgaria, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Sweden and Bulgaria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Bulgaria generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
share of households with internet
Sweden performs better than Bulgaria across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Sweden 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
Sweden performs better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Skatteverket (2016), National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Bulgaria vs Sweden
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Stockholm | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Can you move from Sweden to Bulgaria?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.
Sweden passport holder visiting Bulgaria
Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Sweden?
Generally yes: Bulgaria runs about 42% cheaper than Sweden 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 SEK740,000 comparable salary, that's around BGN18,750 in Bulgaria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Bulgaria?
With 37.0 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 Sweden and Bulgaria.
Is Bulgaria safe for expats?
Bulgaria generally does better on safety, though Sweden leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden. About 86% of people in Bulgaria feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Sweden?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Bulgaria, compared to 44.1 in Sweden. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Bulgaria?
The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
