A newcomer to Bulgaria discovers quickly that "Bulgaria" is not one lifestyle. A capital with an IT job market, a city with a Roman theatre in the middle of it, a sea-port that turns into a summer resort, and a mountain town built around the lifts: the best places to live in Bulgaria depend on what you want your week to look like. Here are the main contenders, with the figures we can source.
How do the main cities compare on cost?
EURES publishes rents and purchase prices for a two-room flat per square metre. The page is dated 5 March 2025, and the figures carry no year.
| City | Rent per m² | Purchase price per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Sofia | 9 to 10 euros | about 1,550 euros |
| Varna | 8 to 9 euros | about 1,650 euros |
| Plovdiv | 8 euros | about 1,250 euros |
| Burgas | 6 to 7 euros | about 1,600 euros |
EURES also says that rents in the biggest cities can be up to ten times higher than in small towns. For the budget as a whole, see the cost of living in Bulgaria.
Is Sofia the right place to live?
Sofia is the capital and the most expensive of the four on rent. It is also where the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior has its seat, on Knyaginya Maria Louisa boulevard. EURES notes that private job portals and company websites are widely used, especially in IT and business process outsourcing. Choose Sofia if you want a city life, your work is in an office sector and you accept paying more for the flat.
For buyers, Sofia's local acquisition tax is at the 3 per cent maximum; see buying property in Bulgaria.
What is life like in Plovdiv?
Plovdiv is the cheapest of the four to buy in, at about 1,250 euros per square metre on EURES figures, with rents of about 8 euros. It suits people who want an urban life at a calmer pace. Because municipal rules differ, ask the Plovdiv municipality for its acquisition tax rate before you commit.
Why do people choose Varna and Burgas?
Both are on the Black Sea. Varna combines sea and a city of size, with rents of 8 to 9 euros and the highest purchase price on the list (about 1,650 euros). Burgas has the lowest rents of the four (6 to 7 euros). If the coast is your plan, spend at least one winter there before buying: many seaside places change a lot out of season, a point worth checking on the ground.
And Bansko?
Bansko is known as a mountain and ski resort. EURES does not list prices there, so we do not give any: use current local listings and check rules for the property type and for your nationality. If you plan to rent out a flat there, ask the National Revenue Agency how the rent is taxed before you buy.
Choosing a city is partly arithmetic, partly gut feeling. If you tell Moovy your budget, whether you work remotely or locally and whether you have children, it can narrow the list and tell you what each choice means for paperwork and cost. It does not replace a visit.
Is choosing among the best places to live in Bulgaria all that matters?
- Work. Check your sector; see working in Bulgaria.
- Schools. Kindergarten and school places depend on the municipality; see schools in Bulgaria for expat children.
- Health. Your GP is chosen from NHIF-contracted doctors near you; see healthcare in Bulgaria.
- Transport. If you want a car, read driving in Bulgaria.
Which are the best places to live in Bulgaria for remote workers?
A remote worker needs three things before a view: a decent connection, a flat with space for a desk and a way to meet people. We did not find an official ranking of connectivity by city, so test it yourself. Ask for a speed test during the viewing, and ask neighbours about outages. Sofia, as the largest city, probably offers more choice for meeting people and working outside the home; Plovdiv and Varna are smaller but cheaper to rent; Bansko is quieter out of season.
If you work for a foreign employer or clients, the choice of city does not change your tax position, which depends on the National Revenue Agency's residence rules, not on the municipality. It does change your costs and your daily rhythm, so use the table above to size the rent.
Where do families and retirees fit best?
Families should start from the school and kindergarten, because places and catchment areas follow the address; see schools in Bulgaria for expat children. A larger city usually gives more choice of schools, but ask your municipality about its enrolment system. Retirees should start from the health system: your GP must have a contract with the NHIF, and distance to a hospital matters more with age. See healthcare in Bulgaria.
For both groups, a city with a wider choice of services is a safer first base than a village, even if you dream of the countryside. You can always move after a year.
Is the coast or the mountains the better choice?
Both are popular and both have a seasonal rhythm. On the coast (Varna and Burgas are the two coastal cities in the EURES table), summer brings activity and winter brings quiet; in the mountains, Bansko is built around the ski season. Ask residents what a typical February looks like, and rent through a winter before committing to a purchase. That advice is simple common sense rather than an official rule, but it avoids the most common regret.
How should you compare the cities for your own budget?
- Pick the size of flat you need and multiply by the rent per square metre from the table.
- Add typical bills and the cost of transport in that city (ask residents).
- Add fixed costs: health, vignette if you own a car, and the cost of paperwork; see the cost of living in Bulgaria.
- If you plan to buy, add the municipality's acquisition tax: ask each municipality for its rate.
What about smaller towns?
EURES points out that rents in the biggest cities can be up to ten times higher than in small towns, and that purchase prices fall to 965 euros per square metre in Blagoevgrad and 730 in Vidin. Smaller towns can be very affordable, but they have fewer services, fewer English speakers and fewer rental offers. They suit people who already know the country well, speak some Bulgarian and have a car; see driving in Bulgaria.
How should you test a city before moving?
Rent for a month or two, outside the high season, in the neighbourhood you could really live in. Visit the town hall, the health fund office and a school. Then decide. The step-by-step order is in the guide to moving to Bulgaria. Prices change, so check current listings before you settle on one of the best places to live in Bulgaria.