12th out of 192 Countries – Bulgaria Is Attracting Attention as More Than Just a Holiday Destination

Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026 – a new ranking of countries based on conditions for relocating and living abroad – shows that Bulgaria ranked ahead of Spain, Italy, Greece and Germany. This provides another reason to take a closer look at the country.

Bulgaria ranked 12th out of 192 countries and territories, with an overall score of 69.7 out of 100.

More importantly, its high position reflects factors that also matter to people considering buying property in Bulgaria: living and housing costs, taxation, climate, safety, digital infrastructure and the practical conditions of everyday life.

Bulgaria`s high position is not based on a single advantage. The ranking combines factors related to costs, taxation, safety, quality of life and conditions for settling in – areas that also matter when choosing a country for a second home, longer stays or a future place to live.

It is therefore worth looking at what lies behind Bulgaria`s high position in practice and what it may mean for people considering buying property in the country.

Bulgaria Ranks Highly Across Several Categories

Rumavi Global Relocation Index 2026 compares 192 countries and territories using 24 indicators grouped into four areas: financial and tax, livability and health, safety and stability, and settling and opportunity.

In addition to the overall ranking, separate classifications were prepared for different groups of people considering relocation or a longer-term move abroad.

Bulgaria ranked:

• 12th – overall ranking,
• 13th – remote workers and digital nomads,
• 14th – people seeking favourable tax conditions,
• 15th – retirees,
• 19th – families,
• 31st – entrepreneurs.

The way the results are calculated is explained in the Global Relocation Index methodology.

For a potential property buyer, however, the more important issue is not Bulgaria`s #12 position itself, but how these factors translate into everyday life and the property market.

Bulgaria has long attracted international tourists, property buyers and people planning longer stays – with its Black Sea coast, climate, prices and lifestyle. Today, however, it is increasingly considered not only as a holiday destination, but also as a place for a second home, longer stays, remote work or future retirement.

Costs Remain One of Bulgaria`s Biggest Advantages

According to Eurostat data for 2025, consumer price levels in Bulgaria were approximately 63% of the European Union average, compared with around 73% of the EU average in Poland.

The difference was even greater for housing-related costs, which in Bulgaria were approximately 41% of the EU average.

For someone receiving income or a pension in euros, or coming from a country with a higher cost of living, this can have very practical significance. We discuss these figures and their relevance to people considering retirement abroad in more detail here:

>> Retirement in Bulgaria – what do the latest Eurostat figures show?

It Is Not Just About Prices. Everyday Life Matters Too

A cheap property is not automatically a good property.

For longer stays, internet access, transport, services, shops, healthcare and the ability to live comfortably outside the summer season all become important.

In the Digital Decade Country Report 2026 for Bulgaria, the European Commission identifies extensive FTTP fibre and VHCN coverage among the country`s digital strengths. At the same time, it points to challenges involving digital skills and the digitalisation of parts of the business sector.

Good internet infrastructure is particularly important for people who can work from almost anywhere. In this context, Bulgaria`s 13th place in Rumavi`s ranking for remote workers and digital nomads is understandable.

A High Ranking Does Not Mean Bulgaria Is Best in Every Area

Healthcare remains one of the country`s weaker areas. According to the Bulgaria Country Health Profile 2025 prepared by the OECD and the European Commission, life expectancy was 75.9 years in 2024 – the lowest in the EU and almost six years below the EU average.

For anyone considering permanent relocation or retirement, this is a factor that should be taken into account.

This is precisely why no ranking should be treated as a ready-made answer. Bulgaria`s #12 position is an interesting signal, but a decision about living in the country or buying property there should always be considered in relation to individual needs.

What Does the Rumavi Ranking Actually Tell Us?

The Global Relocation Index is a private ranking rather than an official Eurostat or OECD index. Rumavi does, however, publish its methodology, indicator weights and data sources, using information from organisations including the World Bank, WHO and World Justice Project; some indicators also rely on the company`s own assessments.

This is the inaugural edition of the index, so we regard Bulgaria`s #12 position as an interesting point of reference rather than a definitive verdict. Rumavi also provides commercial relocation services in some of the markets included in the ranking, although Bulgaria is not currently one of the markets covered by its direct advisory services.

For someone considering a property purchase, however, what is happening in the property market itself is considerably more important.

2026 Has Also Changed Bulgaria`s Property Market

Since 1 January 2026, the euro has been Bulgaria`s official currency. For buyers from other EU countries, this primarily makes price comparisons easier and removes the need to convert transactions between the euro and the Bulgarian lev.

At the same time, residential property prices have been rising. According to Eurostat, in the first quarter of 2026 house prices in Bulgaria increased by 14.8% year on year – the second-highest increase in the European Union. Compared with the previous quarter, prices rose by 6.2%, the highest quarterly increase in the EU.

This is not a forecast of future returns, but it does show how dynamically the market is changing.

We look at these changes in more detail here:

>> Bulgaria after the euro in 2026 – Black Sea property prices and market changes

From Choosing a Country to Choosing a Property

In practice, buying property abroad starts with defining what the property is intended to be used for.

A holiday apartment should meet different criteria from a home intended for year-round use. Someone looking for a second home or a future retirement property will have different priorities from a buyer who is also interested in rental potential.

This is why Sunny Beach, Sveti Vlas, Nessebar, Ravda, Pomorie, Obzor and the smaller towns along the coast should not be treated as one and the same property market.

Price and distance from the beach are not the only factors that matter. Buyers should also consider year-round infrastructure, the standard and legal status of the building, maintenance costs, rental potential and the property`s future liquidity.

This is where an online ranking is no longer enough.

>> See current properties for sale in Bulgaria

ILS POLAND GROUP – We Do Not Observe Bulgaria from the Internet

We have been active in the Bulgarian property market since 2008.

We also operate locally through the ILS POLAND GROUP branch in Bulgaria, which means our knowledge of the market goes far beyond properties advertised online.

Over the years, we have observed changes in prices, the development of the Black Sea coast, changing patterns of interest among international buyers, Bulgaria`s entry into Schengen and, finally, the adoption of the euro.

That is why we do not begin a conversation with a client by asking: “Which apartment would you like to buy?”

First, we need to understand what the property will be used for, where the client wants to spend their time and what budget they intend to allocate both to the purchase and its ongoing costs.

Only then does it make sense to compare specific locations and properties.

ILS POLAND GROUP guides clients through the process from selecting and reserving a property, through documentation checks and negotiations, to the transfer of ownership before a Bulgarian notary. A purchase can be completed during a visit to Bulgaria or, where the circumstances of a particular transaction allow, remotely.

We explain the purchasing process in detail here:

>> Buying property in Bulgaria – procedures and costs

>> Why consider buying property in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria Can Be More Than a Holiday Destination

12th place out of 192 countries is not, by itself, a reason to buy property.

It is, however, another signal that Bulgaria deserves to be considered from a broader perspective than simply as a destination for a summer holiday.

The Black Sea coast, EU membership, the euro, relatively moderate living costs, developed digital infrastructure and a property market that remains accessible to many international buyers create a combination whose value ultimately depends on individual plans and budget.

If you are considering buying property in Bulgaria, start with the specifics.

>> View current properties for sale in Bulgaria

>> Check the procedures and costs of buying property in Bulgaria

If, after reviewing the properties and the purchasing process, you would like to discuss a specific property or the terms of a transaction, contact our team.

>> Contact ILS POLAND GROUP

Team ILS POLAND GROUP