Retire in old-world European charm at an affordable cost of living in Bulgaria.
This is the first post in a Spending Update series. This series breaks down my average living costs by quarter to give you a detailed view of what life is really like living and traveling around the world after Early Retirement. Any questions or requests for additional detail, leave me a message in the comments below this article.
Cost of Living in Bulgaria (Single Person): July - September 2019 Spending
Homebase: Sofia, Bulgaria
Other European Countries Traveled: Austria (Vienna), Czechia (Prague), Serbia (Belgrade), Bulgaria (Plovdiv and Rila)
The local currency is the Bulgarian Lev (BGN). At the time of the writing, the exchange rate is 1 US Dollar = 1.74 BGN. For reference, 1 Euro = 1.95 BGN
3 Month Total | Per Month Average | ||
---|---|---|---|
Housing | 814 | 271 | |
Utilities | 23 | 7 | |
Food | 1326 | 442 | |
Fitness | 349 | 116 | |
Entertainment | 121 | 40 | |
Local Transportation | 120 | 40 | |
International Transportation | 318 | 106 | |
Health | 105 | 35 | |
Shopping | 306 | 102 | |
Misc | 0 | 0 | |
Total Spending | $3,487 | $1,162 | |
Average Per Day | $37 |
Other Guides On Expat Life In Bulgaria
What kind of standard of living can I afford on $1200 per month?
It’s another beautiful sunny morning in Limassol, Cyprus. It’s mid-October. The United States is already getting a rainy and cold winter. But since Cyprus averages 340 sunny days a year, I’m enjoying my Turkish coffee in shorts and a t-shirt. All is not roses in paradise today and I’m a little anxious. My news feeds are full of reports of upcoming recessions, market volatility driven by trade wars, and IPO disappointments. I’m approaching Year 6 of my Early Retirement. There are still 13 more years till I hit 59½ years old. I am in the middle of the high risk FIRE GAP period and a news of a recession has me a little worried.