Moving to Bulgaria from Vietnam

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Vietnam to Bulgaria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Vietnam to Bulgaria, you would find that Bulgaria is 35.9% more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly BGN174,000 in Bulgaria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Bulgarian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Sofia averages 59°F vs 82°F in Hanoi, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Vietnam to Bulgaria.

What does your salary buy?

₫1,900,000,000 → BGN174,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Bulgaria

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.6 times more

Groceries

pay 19.6% more

Transportation

pay 67.3% more

Housing

pay 7.1% more

Childcare

pay 27.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 88.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 VND = 0.0001 BGN (October 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.

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 15% more than cities in Vietnam.

Vietnam

Hanoi ★ 32%
Hai Phong 29%

Bulgaria

Sofia ★ 46%
Varna 42%
Yambol 35%
Pleven 35%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Vietnam to Bulgaria, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
709 ↑ 27% vs 2015

people born in Vietnam 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Vietnam to Bulgaria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

VN
1.5
BG
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VN
17.7
BG
8.4

Bulgaria performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VN
$690
BG
$2,970
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

VN
11.1
BG
43.3

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VN
52.0
BG
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VN
4.3t
BG
5.3t

Vietnam performs better than Bulgaria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VN
23.7
BG
37.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VN
18.1%
BG
40.2%

Vietnam generally does better on infrastructure, though Bulgaria leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

VN
1.5%
BG
3.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

VN
$5,066
BG
$20,328

Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Bulgaria leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

VN
74.7 yrs
BG
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VN
12.0
BG
4.6

Bulgaria performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Hanoi Rain: 64.1 in/yr (1628 mm)
82° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Hanoi Sofia
Jan–Mar 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 68°/48°F (20°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Hanoi Sofia
Jan 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C)
Feb 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C)
Mar 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C)
Apr 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C)
Jun 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C)
Jul 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C)
Aug 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C)
Sep 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C)
Oct 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C)
Nov 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C)
Dec 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C)

Data: Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.

Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting Bulgaria

Visa Required
Vietnam passport holders need a visa to enter Bulgaria.
Bulgaria passport

Bulgaria passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Free
Bulgaria passport holders can enter Vietnam 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 Vietnam?

No — Bulgaria is on average about 36% more expensive than Vietnam. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Bulgaria?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly BGN43,500 in Bulgaria on a ₫1,900,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Bulgaria?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Bulgaria has 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Bulgaria safe for expats?

Bulgaria performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bulgaria is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Bulgaria compared to Vietnam?

Vietnam 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 11.1 in Vietnam. Bulgaria scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).

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

The average high temperature in Sofia is 59°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Sofia receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 in.

What language do they speak in Bulgaria?

The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.

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At a Glance

VN BG
Population 101,598,527 6,433,302
Currency Vietnamese Dong (₫) Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
Languages Vietnamese Bulgarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +84 +359
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 113 112