Foreigners can freely buy apartments and buildings in their own name, but under the constitution non-nationals cannot directly own the underlying land — a house with a garden is usually held via a Bulgarian company, or the building is bought separately from its plot. (EU citizens face fewer limits.)
Before you buy in Bulgaria, always:
General guidance only — rules change; confirm the current position with a qualified local lawyer.
Our free ownership checker and the Overseas Property Playbook walk through how foreign ownership works step by step — the questions to ask and the traps to sidestep.
Total buying costs are usually around 5-6% (nearer 8-10% with a buyer's agent): a 3% municipal transfer tax, notary fees of about 0.4-1.5%, and a 0.1% registration fee. Foreigners buy buildings freely but hold the underlying land via a company; completion takes a few weeks.
Bansko for mountain and ski living at low cost; the Black Sea coast around Varna and Burgas for summer sun; historic Veliko Tarnovo for character; and Sofia for city amenities and healthcare.
Public healthcare is basic but very cheap, so most expats rely on affordable private clinics or insurance for quality and speed; UK state pensioners can register an S1 for public cover. Sofia and the larger cities have the best facilities. Bulgaria is generally safe and inexpensive; they drive on the right, English is spoken by younger people and in tourist areas but less so among older locals, and the Cyrillic alphabet takes a little getting used to.
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