Moving to Bulgaria from Turkey
What to Expect
Considering a move from Turkey to Bulgaria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Turkey to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 2.9% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,700,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly BGN126,000 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 Turkey?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 30.5% more
Groceries
pay 45.3% more
Transportation
pay 13.6% less
Housing
pay 14.6% less
Childcare
pay 45.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 18.0% 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?
TRY3,700,000 → BGN126,000
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 19% less than cities in Turkey.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Bulgaria
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Turkey to Bulgaria.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Bulgaria compared to Turkey.
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 Turkey 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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkey 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
Bulgaria generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkey leads in internet access.
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 Turkey leads in poverty 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Bulgaria generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Bulgaria vs Turkey
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Istanbul | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Istanbul | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) |
| Feb | 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) |
| Apr | 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) |
| Dec | 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Turkish State Meteorological Service,
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Can you move from Turkey to Bulgaria?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.
Turkey passport holder visiting Bulgaria
Visa Required
Bulgaria passport holder visiting Turkey
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 Turkey?
On average Bulgaria is about 3% less expensive than Turkey, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?
Budget about BGN31,500 for 3 months in Bulgaria (based on a TRY3,700,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Bulgaria?
Connectivity is usually fine (Bulgaria: 37.0 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?
Bulgaria generally does better on safety, though Turkey leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Turkey. About 86% of people in Bulgaria feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Turkey?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 43.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Bulgaria, compared to 22.4 in Turkey. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).
What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to Turkey?
The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 in.
What language do they speak in Bulgaria?
The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
