Is Bulgaria still cheap?

That depends: if you think that €65,000 for a garage in Sofia is "cheap" then Bulgaria is still cheap...😮

I was thinking more about everyday living costs in small towns and villages, like eating out, utilities, and things like that. The prices in the shops in my nearest town have definitely gone up a lot compared to when I was last here in 2022, I'm just curious how it stacks up against the rest of Europe.

I was thinking more about everyday living costs in small towns and villages, like eating out, utilities, and things like that. The prices in the shops in my nearest town have definitely gone up a lot compared to when I was last here in 2022, I'm just curious how it stacks up against the rest of Europe. - @Piccadilly

Everything has gone up everywhere in the last 4 years across Europe. But Bulgaria is cheaper compared to Austria and the UK.

https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … y=Bulgaria

@Piccadilly

A good way to compare prices is to look at the Lidl online brochures for various countries to get a feel for how much the same, or comparable, items cost. The same goes for the other BG supermarkets which also operate in other countries (eg Kaufland)..

@Piccadilly

Yes, both can be true (and, in my opinion, are). Bulgarian prices have risen substantially over the last few years, especially with the introduction of the Euro this year. Of course, prices have risen pretty much everywhere, not just in Bulgaria.

However, Bulgaria is still, by many measures, the poorest country in the EU with the lowest statutory minimum wage, the lowest GDP per capita, the highest poverty rate, the lowest life expectancy. Many prices are set accordingly, so I would say that it's still more affordable than other EU countries. However, (a) the gap between Bulgaria and others in the EU's bottom tier is probably narrower, and (b) Bulgaria is probably much less affordable relative to nearby non-EU countries (Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Georgia, etc.) or further away Asian options (such as Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, etc.).

From what I've seen, property prices have really jumped dramatically, and I would guess that the price in Sofia is not far off those in other large cities like Istanbul or Athens. Bulgaria has many charms, but if it doesn't have a substantial property price advantage, I'd guess more folks will feel it's a better deal to pay slightly more for better known tourism/retirement destination (such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, France, etc.).

If you already have a house here, the calculation is different. Property taxes and utility bills are pretty inexpensive, and if all you need is groceries then life in Bulgaria can be very comfortable, especially on a foreign income (pension, rent, remote work). I too was fortunate to grab some Bulgarian real estate some years ago, so I don't have any worries about high rents/mortgages, and my quality of life here is still outstanding. I vote with my feet/Ryanair tickets, as I still have my Cyprus and Spanish residence permits... but I'm still spending 90%+ of my time in dear old Bulgaria.

As a relatively new resident here I have found the cost of living ok. We have successfully grown fruit/veg and Baba next door is always giving us gifts. Fuel is expensive currently but that’s the same everywhere. Have noticed a bit of an increase since the Euro. Depends on whether you’re city or rural.

Still find it considerably cheaper overall than living in UK.

Fuel here, last time I checked, is about the fourth-cheapest in the EU, and we're always in the bottom five price-wise, and sometimes the lowest.  My car runs on LPG and even nowadays I tend to chuckle at the bill every time I fill her up... 😎

Fuel Prices > https://www.fuel-prices.eu

I can't compare to other EU countries, only the UK!

Though I think fuel there is about the same price as in the UK, so expensive for Bulgarians but no more expensive for Brit expats, it's cheaper than most of the EU (they do have a monthly comparison chart on an official EU website that I checked last month, and yes, only a few EU countries were cheaper than Bg.

Food is variable, prices have risen a lot. Unfortunately the change to the EUR came after a disastrous growing year for Bg farmers with drought followed by a hard freeze in spring, which led to more basic food needing to be imported at higher prices. I think agricultural yields may be down this year as well.  Food bills won't be cheaper than in the UK if someone is buying all supermarket foods and imported brands, but with careful shopping, using supermarket loss-leaders, and buying fruit and veg and honey in the local market rather than the supermarket. Plus, at this time of year, our neighbour gives us so much food from her garden we rarely need to buy much!

I especially notice the savings on council tax, water, and electricity bills, though I have no idea how those compare to other EU countries.

This from Sky News:

A grocery shop recently worth £100 will soon cost almost £50 more, forecast shows

A £100 grocery shop in 2020 will cost £147.50 by July next year, a major food industry body has warned.

The Food and Drink Federation, which represents 12,000 manufacturers, forecast food inflation will reach almost 4% by Christmas and peak at 6.4% next July.

That's another £8.90 added to the £138.60 you'd need to spend on a basket containing the same groceries you bought for £100 in January 2020.

"Food and drink manufacturers have kept food prices as low as possible during the energy shock since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz but they can't do this indefinitely," says chief executive Karen Betts.

Energy prices, driven by Donald Trump's war in Iran, are partly to blame.

Gas prices have more than doubled since February, while UK electricity prices are some of the highest in Europe. UK diesel prices have also risen by 28.6% since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, according to the FDF.

Climate change is only compounding the problem, with the cost of wheat up 45%, cocoa more than 100%, rice up 60% and sugar and coffee up 27% and 22% respectively.

Droughts across the UK and Europe this summer have further strained supplies, meaning manufacturers would face higher costs for fruit, vegetables and grains in the months ahead.

"That's another £8.90 added to the £138.60 you'd need to spend on a basket containing the same groceries you bought for £100 in January 2020."

Those numbers are probably accurate. They certainly seem to reflect what I've seen with grocery shopping both in the UK and in Bg.

But I don't call January 2020 -- pre the whole COVID mess, the war in Ukraine, and many other factors that have affected prices in the past five and a half years --"recently", as they do in the first line!

The headline is a massive exaggeration and clickbait, IMO!

We have some fruit trees and plenty neighbours have vegetables growing as well and this year we have had loads of fruit with plenty left to pick and loads of veg off our neighbours.

So I don't think this year has been a bad growing one especially compared to last year which was disastrous when we got hardly anything growing.

Basic costs of energy and fuel most likely biggest cost increases which affects everyone ( all thanks to a certain 🍊 🤡).

Diesel near me was at onepoint 2.30 lev per litre now €1.75 which equates to roughly  3.50 levs, over 50% increase.

Local shops to me  in village and town no more expensive compared to supermarkets in gorna oryahovitsa and veliko tarnovo.

@SimCityAT

Numbeo seems to be based on Sofia rather than the rest of the country. Curious how they actually calculate it!

@mickg

I used to pop into the village shop just for a few quick things because I knew it would cost a bit more, but now the prices are pretty much identical to the supermarkets for most everyday groceries. When you factor in the time or petrol it takes to drive into town anyway. I honestly dont know how locals afford petrol now.

Wait until the outrageous Botaş deal, signed by our illustrious PM (aka Russian Asset #001) as a parting gift to the country when he copied his hero Uncle Vlad and transmuted from the country's worst President to its most ineffective PM.

Gas prices are going to soar to make up for the daily $500,000 a day that Bulgaria is obliged to pay to use Turkey's liquified gas terminals and transmission infrastructure, regardless of whether any gas at all is actually used, thereby making the gas itself too expensive to use. To cover this unwarranted cost, Bulgarian industry and government have to find the money from somewhere; that "somewhere" is in the pockets of Bulgarian consumers. 

Radev is busily increasing global warming by desperately trying to justify this "error" (which he blames one everyone else, as usual)  by twisting the truth and simultaneously claiming to be saving the day by "negotiating" with Erdogan. I hope his oligophrenic MBCA* supporters are happy with what their hero has done!  I'm pretty sure he was even too stupid to negotiate a worthwhile kickback.

*MBCA - Make Bulgaria Commie Again 😎

Trickle down effect as the monies trickle down offshoots to certain people's pockets.

Same system no matter what form of government any country has.

I would worry just as much with whats happening with Iran. Oil is over $100 a barrel again.

Yes I agree, oil price rising means higher costs for all.

The conspiracist in me wonders if certain bodies are influencing the markets to gain financially.

The certain body you mentioned previously, @mickg? Would not be at all surprised. He's profited very handsomely from his manipulation of various prices.

Based on what I’ve seen and spent so far, I’d still say Bulgaria is generally cheaper than the UK.