Bulgaria has long appealed to British buyers more than other Eastern European destinations.
A mix of affordable beach, ski and village life, it offers a bit of everything and regularly features in A Place in the Sun’s Top 10 Best Places to Buy Abroad rankings.
In this year’s list, Bulgaria comes in at number nine - above Dubai - with the average property search budget a modest £35,487.
Why buy in Bulgaria?
An EU member since 2007 and part of the Schengen area since 1 January 2025, Bulgaria offers beautiful scenery and authentic rural areas, which have helped sustain a strong tourism market.
Visitor numbers have now recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with popular destinations including Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Varna, Nesebar and Plovdiv.
The Black Sea Coast is home to many resorts, the largest of which is Sunny Beach, a long stretch of coastline known for its lively nightlife. Inland, you’ll find lush rolling hills, deep valleys and wooded hillsides.
Thanks to its location, Bulgaria is a gateway to Europe from the CIS and Middle East, attracting a diverse range of nationalities. A stable government and economy help maintain investor confidence.
Bulgaria is just three hours flight away from the UK, and there are regular flights including low-cost carriers like EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Properties can be acquired at very low prices, and the cost of living is 62% lower than the UK. Rental costs are a huge 184% lower, according to numbeo.com.
Buying costs are around 8% of the property’s value, and the country also offers its own Golden Visa – a residency through investment programme – with a minimum investment of €512,000.
Where to buy in Bulgaria
Coastal resort favourites
Top locations for APITS.com users are led by Sveti Vlas, a resort on the Black Sea coast near Sunny Beach. Also in the top five is Obzor, a smaller resort a little further north.
In Sunny Beach (Burgas region), you can find apartments for under €30,000 - or two-bedroom, two-bathroom options with shared pools from around €90,000.
For cheap apartments near the beach, the entire stretch from Golden Sands, down via Varna to Obzor, and in the south, Sveti Vlas, Sunny Beach, and Nesebar, offers plenty of choice.
You might prefer the pretty town of Sveti Vlas, which is quieter than the Sunny Beach – considered the glitzier resort – and attracts less of the party crowd. The view of some visitors is that it’s more upmarket, but there’s less to do. Find apartments from around €85,000 upwards.
Traditional and rural appeal
Buyers looking for traditional village life and rural charm gravitate towards Veliko Tarnovo province, including towns like Pavlikeni and Polski Trambesh – both of which rank in our top five most searched locations.
The medieval town of Veliko Tarnovo in North-Central Bulgaria has long been popular, thanks to its pretty hillside setting, great road links to Sofia and Varna, and affordable property. Renovation projects can cost as little as £15,000, and newer three-bedroom houses around £35,000.
Rural Bulgaria is like entering a different world where time has stood still, a traditional style of life attractive for some expats; and beautiful landscapes remain unscarred by large-scale developments of the coastal resorts.
Ski resorts and mountain retreats
Bulgaria’s ski resorts offer outstanding value. The best known is Bansko, which saw a boom in foreign buyers in the mid-2000s. Despite the passage of time, prices have remained affordable – with many apartments available under £30,000, and a wide choice from £40,000 to £50,000 in developments with shared pools and gyms.
Borovets, a historic ski resort closer to Sofia, attracts more domestic buyers and typically commands higher prices – often three to four times those of Bansko.
Up-and-coming cities
Plovdiv is an attractive and historic city built on seven hills that is growing in popularity with investors too. It’s very different to Sofia’s grand or Soviet-style buildings, with more of a laid-back and friendly feel, and is a handy base from which to explore other parts of the country – it’s closer to the coast than Sofia.
Its economy is growing – as is its population of digital nomads - and you can find a modern, one-bedroom apartment to buy for around €150,000.
Ready to make your move?
Search properties in Bulgaria and start your journey today.
