New members of the Bulgaria forum, introduce yourselves here - 2026

Hi everyone we are in the  process of moving to Bulgaria my name is Frank and my wife is Sue we have just brought a fantastic house in gorna lipnitsa and are looking forward to finaly get there  . We are just starting the visa process within the next few weeks

I hope it all goes well for you, Frank and Sue! There are some beautiful houses in Gorna Lipnitsa.

We are right at the top of the village surrounded by fields ...so very peacfull3

That's a lovely location! We enjoy the peace at our house, too, as it backs onto fields.

@Frankjones535

Are you using an immigration lawyer. I would recommend it. We are waiting for a phone call to hopefully pick ours up. Fingers crossed.

Hello everyone! I'm Georgi originally from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, but 5 years ago I went abroad to live in the Netherlands to pursue my dreams and new challenges. Nowadays, I've been connected with selling properties with the collaboration of my family, in the area of Plovdiv.

Hi. I just moved with my husband and two kids to Aheloy for the winter. Anyone around here?

Hi Laila! I hope you find the winters there more tolerable, and that you get some replies to your other post!

@Julien

I just wanted to help but you removed my post without any reason...

@Laila Stancioff

Hey Laila and welcome to Bulgaria!

We're near, located in Varna ;-)

@panmar.eu

Hello and welcome !

Please note that your post was removed as the content was promotional. I invite you to read the BULGARIA FORUM CODE OF CONDUCT.

No promotion/advertising is allowed on our forums. We have dedicated sections where you can register your services : The business directory or get in touch with our marketing team for tailor-made solutions : https://www.expat.com/en/advertisement.html

Thank you in keeping our forums informative and free from ads.

Bhavna

Team Expat.com

Hello,

     I'm Sully and have been playing devils advocate while researching relocation to Sofia, Bulgaria from USA. On paper, it sounds absolutely gorgeous. It checks a lot of my boxes; snowboarding, archery, martial arts, nature, a very interesting history, and culture.

     I'm a disabled Veteran, but only outpatient needs and I have gotten the paperwork for the FMP(Foreign Medical Program) where the VA will reimburse Veterans for approved medications.

     The plan at the moment is to visit in January, from what I have researched, people have mentioned the months of January and February are not as desirable, so I figured if I can visit during that time and see it for myself, go snowboarding and see what life is like, it will give me a better idea as I take future steps.

     This may sound pessimistic, but the research I look for are the unexpected surprises people run into when relocating. I was looking at a grocery app that is in Bulgaria to look at food prices and comparing what I usually buy in the US and the changes that I would have to make. I continue to come up with searches as I keep track of my day to day in the States trying to find that red flag. I realize that all places have some issues, but without being there, Bulgaria seems like a hidden gem and after being a patient of the VA, I'm a little skeptical lol.

     I really appreciate the information being shared and the advice!

Thank you,

Sully

@Sully33

Much of Bulgaria's attractiveness to foreign residents depends on their financial circumstances. If you have good medical coverage, a healthy bank balance, and a decent pension then you can live well here. But by the same token, you could also live pretty well in a host of other countries in Europe, and indeed elsewhere.

Bulgaria has some beautiful parts but other countries have more. Winter sports are certainly well catered for here, but other countries in the region (eg N Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Slovenia) offer good slopes and amenities, often at cheaper prices.

@Sully33

Bulgaria is great, and Bansko (Bulgaria's largest ski/mountain resort, next to spectacular Pirin National Park) is very charming. Sofia is good too, but it's expensive now so renting/buying is something you have to look at carefully. Plovdiv (our home base, and a former European Capital of Culture) is smaller and slightly cheaper - and scores big on history/culture.

People have different views of Bulgaria's medical system, but I've found it to be very good. I pay 35 euros per month as my voluntary contribution to the public health system (NHIF) and it's a bargain for free (or nearly free) treatment/scans/ops in public hospitals/clinics (plus an EHIC for use elsewhere in the EU when travelling). As a non-working non-EU citizen, you'll probably be excluded from this option for a few years (maybe 5, until you're a Permanent Resident, I'm not sure of the exact rules) but it's good to know it's there if you relocate permanently. A little known bonus here is that private hospitals are often affiliated with NHIF and you can get VIP treatment pretty much on demand for a ludicrously small private surcharge. Private health care policies are, in any case, a fraction of the cost of USA. I mention these just in case your FMP turns out not to be very convenient in practice.

January and February are cold, but personally I enjoy the winters here as they're still (mostly) sunny. And if you want to check out the winter sports scene here this is a good time to come (maybe Feb/early March rather than Jan). You should set your expectations: these are small resorts compared to American ones, and not really the places for super expert skiers/snowboarders. However, for a relaxing winter break for a moderate ability snowboarder in a low-cost resort it's a great option.

Bulgaria's also a great base for visiting other countries, many of which have a ton of culture/history, especially, say, our neighbours Turkey and Greece which you can easily drive (or train) to. There are also a lot of low-cost flights (Ryanair, WIzzair, etc.) all over Europe.

Cost-wise, Bulgaria's the poorest country in the EU, so it's pretty inexpensive to live. But that's relative to the EU, an expensive bloc. Probably the cheaper options are our neighbor Turkey, maybe some Latin American options like Mexico, and the usual Asian suspects (Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.). Personally, I find that Bulgaria is extremely safe with pretty high level of infrastructure, which are important positives.