Moving to Bulgaria from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Kingdom to Bulgaria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 47.2% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly BGN73,019 in Bulgaria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bulgarian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Kingdom and Bulgaria.
What does your salary buy?
£55,766 → BGN73,019
To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 38.3% less
Groceries
pay 20.1% less
Transportation
pay 44.3% less
Housing
pay 71.0% less
Childcare
pay 70.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.1% 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.
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 34% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Kingdom to Bulgaria.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Bulgaria compared to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom performs better than Bulgaria across all safety metrics.
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
Bulgaria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though Bulgaria leads in electricity per capita.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though Bulgaria leads in top income tax 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
United Kingdom performs better than Bulgaria across all family life metrics.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, 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 | London | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Sofia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting Bulgaria
Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United Kingdom?
On average Bulgaria is about 43% less expensive than United Kingdom, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?
Budget about BGN18,255 for 3 months in Bulgaria (based on a £55,766 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: 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?
United Kingdom performs better than Bulgaria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to United Kingdom?
Bulgaria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in health coverage index. There are 49.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Bulgaria, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Bulgaria compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 60°F in London. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Bulgaria?
The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
