I recently read from one source that Bulgarian authorities are requiring persons/non-nationals entering Bulgaria to prove that they have the equivelent of €50 per day to live on. The article alleged that previously it had been 50Lev.
Is there any truth in this? If one were to provide say proof of a pension income of let us say €2000 to €2200 per month for two persons initially renting property at €300 per month with the intention to buy for permanent residence would this be an acceptable income?
I am aware of the income/wage disparity between Bulgaria and other regions of Europe. I certainly don't want to live in the more tourist orientated areas just somewhere that one can be accepted in.
What sort of lifestyle in the bigger villages and outside of big towns would this give. I'm certainly not expecting life like a king and nor would I want it, but straightfoward and being able to mix in well in the local community without money worries or causing annoyance to locals because I am an "incomer".
As far as I am concerned I want to take part and mix in local life and as far as I can help as once having left the UK there is no coming back and there is nothing here to come back for anyway.
Required Incomes
jagd1 if you are concerned about your acceptance in Bulgaria as an expat... as long as you respect the locals, just like everywhere else, you will be more than welcome. Bulgarians are usually very friendly, happy to accept western expats and helpful. If you are in the big cities... it is just like any other big city in the EU. If you are in a small village, and you respect your neighbors, you will be most welcome and you will feel it right a way.
As far as income, the numbers you are mentioning would be well sufficient to live way more comfortable than in Scotland with a 4K pounds/month net. I've never heard of EU citizens having to prove sufficient income for their stay in BG, so maybe someone else will put their 2 cents here. I know that used to be the case for Greece years ago...
Just an advise... do not close your door to go back to the UK. Go to BG, see how it is yourself for 6 months, then decide if that would be your permanent destination. You will get much better weather, and less expensive life, but there might be other things that you may find not as acceptable. So test life in Bulgaria first.
Thanks for that I'm sorry I did not make myself that clear as much as I'd like to be as rich as Cresis between the wife and myself we reckon we have £2200 per month max maybe €2500.
As for turning my back on UK for a number of personal reasons i.e. our respective families or what is left of them cold shouldering us when we were both quite ill, us having gone out of our way to help them.
Both of us spent quite a period of our early lives abroad and only went back to UK for our families, duty really, we seem to have been at their beck and call. Neither of us wish we had now,
The other problem I fully understand, it's the usual one about getting drawn home for just about everything you can think of. I think it was a person from the Balkans a Macedonian who burnt his boats. It is commitment that alot of Brits miss, it's too easy, welfare state etc and nobody and no country can ever do it as well as us.
Sorry if that seems a bleak assessment but sometime we need to step back a bit. The amount of crying in high places recently because we can't have two shiney aircraft carriers for Admirals to have cocktail parties on and we've actually got to share the one were getting with the French (foul garlic speaking european types and our real enemies don't yer know) for gods sake.
Dear me..........
jagd1 reading your last post... you sound just like a Bulgarian already, writing in English and about the UK... I am sure you will fit in fine in BG. 
I understood very well about the income. Just wanted to compare if you were to make 4K pounds/a month net in the UK, and what you can afford with this... to 2K euros. 2K euros is excellent income to allow you much better standard in BG.
Sorry my English is worse than yours, I understand fully what you mean now. You must exscuse me, so many questions and so many answers.
jagd1 that's what this forum is for - questions and answers from expats to expats. I myself stumbled on it when I was looking to get some answers for my next move.
I think you mentioned you do not mind cold winter... if that is the case, take a look at NW of Bulgaria. There are small towns, very quiet and very, very inexpensive. However, you may get to have 3-4 months of snow on and off, but still have 30-35C temperature in the summer, if not even more during the heat waves. The trip to the black see will be about 4-4.5 hrs from the W of Bulgaria. But if you are not so crazy about the sand and the salt water, there are great man made and natural lakes, as well as nice rivers. Living on the North of Stara Planina, has it's advantages as well, besides the lower cost of living compared to the coast. It is rather cleaner, not as commercialized and not so much traffic.
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