Expat engineers and techies welcome in Bulgaria

Bulgaria may not be every expat’s idea of heaven, but Sofia is great for freelancers, digital nomads and engineers.

Adventurous expats searching for a low-cost, fast-internet location could do far worse than to head for Bulgaria’s capital Sofia. Expert programmers, IT specialists and engineers are in short supply and can earn salaries surprisingly competitive with their equivalents in Western Europe. As an added incentive, Bulgaria’s tax regime is far less if a burden than in many major EU member states including the UK. Contrary to rumours, the country isn’t third world although its GDP isn’t comparable with Western European countries.

Most job opportunities are in the capital, and the majority of rental accommodation dates from the country’s Communist era. However, the present-day construction boom is set to provide modern, larger condos suitable for incomers as well as locals. If living in the countryside is part of your expat dream, housing is very cheap and properties can be purchased for surprisingly small amounts. As regards the Balkan country's economy, Bulgarians are stuck in a relatively stable position between wealth and comparative poverty, and the low cost of living helps a lot. On the crucial subject of safety and security, Sofia has come a long way since the dangerous days following the collapse of its Communist regime. Nowadays, although petty crime can be an issue, violent crime isn’t widespread, with the average expat far more at risk from Bulgarian drivers than from gang warfare in the streets.

Organised crime is now focusing on phone scams and the service sector, although it has to be admitted foreigners are often the focus of their attention. As in many up-and-coming nations worldwide, overpricing in property deals, legal services and the purchase of expensive items can be a problem. Time off in Sofia is easily and enjoyably filled, with entertainment centres offering cinemas, sports, bars and restaurants as well as a good choice of shopping malls. Sofia has several attractive parks as well as smaller green areas scattered across most districts. In winter there’s access to several well-known ski resorts, and regular flights serve the country’s coastal cities and summer resorts. Ethnic tensions rarely if ever surface, with the country’s Muslim population living in enclaves in the countryside and Sofia’s inhabitants mostly Orthodox Christians.