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Everything you need: visas, housing, jobs, taxes, healthcare and real stories from expats. Clear, practical and up to date, so you can feel at home faster.

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Visas and residenceType D visa, residence permits, EU registration Find a homeRenting, buying, bills and neighbourhoods Money and taxCost of living, the 10% tax, banks and the euro Work and businessWork permits, jobs, freelancing and companies HealthcareInsurance, doctors, pharmacies and emergencies Daily lifeLanguage, driving, phones and customs
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What most people need first

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ResidencyHow to get residence in Bulgaria as a non-EU citizenFrom Type D visa to residence card: how non-EU citizens get a long-term residence permit, step by step.MoneyCost of living in Bulgaria, city by cityRent, bills, food and transport in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Bansko.HousingRenting an apartment without surprisesContracts, deposits, agency fees and the red flags to walk away from.ResidencyEU registration certificate: living in Bulgaria as an EU citizenEU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying over 3 months must register. It usually takes a day, and the certificate lasts up to 5 years.
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Where will you live?

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SofiaBulgaria's biggest city, with the most jobs, English-speaking…PlovdivBulgaria's second city: creative, historic and more affordable…VarnaBulgaria's biggest city on the Black Sea, with…BurgasA calmer seaside city with a long beach,…BanskoA small town below the Pirin mountains, known…Veliko TarnovoBulgaria’s medieval capital, with an old town above…
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Coming up in Bulgaria

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Zahari Zograf immersive exhibition Sofia Arts and culture THE WALL Vol. 7: Nevelin Ivanov Sofia Arts and culture In 4 days 3D Hologram Show-Concert: Martina Tabakova and Georgi Cherkin Veliko Tarnovo Arts and culture In 4 days The Barber of Seville Ruse Arts and culture In 7 days Plovdiv Jazz Fest 2026 (autumn edition) Plovdiv Festivals In 7 days Laureates of the Prof. Boyan Lechev Competition: Concert Ruse Music In 7 days Linkage VII International Choreographic Competition Stara Zagora Arts and culture In 8 days OpenFest 2026 Sofia Business and expos
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Stories from expats

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Expat storiesOut & AboutReader postA winter working remotely in Bansko: what digital nomads should know in 2026Skiing before lunch and laptops after it. What a remote work winter in Bansko is really like, and what to sort out first.Daniel Reyes30 Oct 2026 · 3 min readExpat storiesMoving & first stepsReader postCost of living in Plovdiv in 2026: an expat’s honest monthly budgetWhat rent and a normal month in Plovdiv really look like now Bulgaria uses the euro, and where the budget surprises hide.Hannah Whitfield30 Oct 2026 · 2 min readExpat storiesReader postWelcome to ExpatBG: why I built this, and why I need your storyA Lebanese guy from Qatar, a family in Plovdiv, and a website for everyone building a life in Bulgaria.Stephan Abi Khattar30 Oct 2026 · 2 min read

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