Center
Walkable, with the main street, shops and cafés on your doorstep.
city lifeno car
Culture and history
Living in Plovdiv
Bulgaria's second city: creative, historic and more affordable than Sofia, with the Rhodope mountains close by.
- 1-bed rent
- €375–500
- From Sofia
- About 1h45 by car, 2.5 to 3h by train
- Airport
- Plovdiv (PDV), or Sofia
- Pace of life
- Relaxed
Overview
Is Plovdiv right for you?
Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second city and one of the oldest cities in Europe. It mixes a Roman theatre, a hilltop Old Town and the lively Kapana creative district with a slower pace and lower costs than Sofia.
The centre is flat and compact, with a long pedestrian main street, so many people live without a car. Sofia is under two hours away by motorway, and the Rhodope mountains, monasteries and wine country are close by for weekends.
Plovdiv suits remote workers, retirees and families who want city life without the capital’s rush. There are fewer services in English than in Sofia, and the airport has few routes, so many people fly from Sofia.
Summers are hot, often above 32°C, so air conditioning matters. Winters are milder than in Sofia.
What expats like
- Lower rents and prices than Sofia
- A walkable centre with the Old Town and the Kapana creative district
- Warm, sunny weather for much of the year
- Good road and rail links to Sofia
- The Rhodope mountains nearby for weekends
What to know
- Summers can be very hot
- Fewer jobs and English-speaking services than Sofia
- Few direct flights, so many people fly from Sofia
- Fewer international schools
Costs
What it costs to live here
Typical prices for one person, from current listings and Numbeo, checked in October 2026. Rents rise fast, so check imot.bg before you budget.
1-bed apartment, city centre
about €500 a month
1-bed apartment, outside the centre
about €375 a month
Utilities for a 2-bed flat (power, water, heating)
about €100 a month, more in winter
Public transport monthly card
about €26
Mobile plan with 10 GB+ data
about €17 a month
Home internet
about €14 a month
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant
about €9
Neighbourhoods
Where expats live in Plovdiv
Kapana
The creative quarter, full of bars, galleries and small restaurants. Lively at night.
young professionalsOld Town
Historic houses on cobbled hills. Beautiful and quiet, but steep.
couplescharacter homesKarshiyaka
North of the river, with newer buildings and riverside parks.
familiesnewer flatsTrakia
A large residential district with lower rents and lots of green space.
familiesvalueKamenitsa
Residential and close to the centre, with schools and parks.
familieswalking to townGetting around
Do you need a car?
Walking and cycling
The centre is flat and compact, so most daily trips are easy on foot or by bike.
Buses
City buses cover the residential districts. Single tickets are cheap, and cards work on all lines.
Taxis and apps
Cheap and easy to find. Use a licensed company or an app.
Trains and driving
Trains and the Trakia motorway link Plovdiv with Sofia. A car helps for the mountains.
Living here
Everyday life in Plovdiv
Healthcare
- St. George University HospitalState The region’s largest hospital
- Eurohospital PlovdivPrivate A private general hospital
- Medline ClinicPrivate A central private hospital used by expats
Schools
- British School of Plovdiv British (Cambridge Primary). A small primary campus of the British School of Sofia
- British International School Classic IB Diploma, IGCSE and A level. Teaches in English and Bulgarian
- Language high schools English, German and French streams. Bulgarian state schools, entry by exam
Work
- Jobs IT companies, outsourcing and the large Trakia Economic Zone of factories just outside the city
- Coworking About ten spaces, many in and around Kapana
- Remote work A popular base for remote workers who want lower costs than Sofia
Weekends
- Bachkovo Monastery Bulgaria’s second-largest monastery, 30 minutes away
- The Rhodope mountains Villages, hiking and skiing at Pamporovo, about 1.5 hours away
- Asenovgrad Fortress A medieval fortress on a cliff, 30 minutes away
- Hisarya Roman walls and mineral springs, under an hour away
- Thracian wineries Wine tasting in the villages around the city
Paperwork
Where to sort your paperwork
Migration office (ODMVR Plovdiv)
Residence permits, EU registration certificates, LNCH
70 Volga St · Check hours on mvr.bg
Good to know: Bring originals and copies of everything. Queues are longest early in the morning
KAT (traffic police)
Driving licence exchange, car registration
Plovdiv traffic police (ODMVR Plovdiv) · Check the address and hours on mvr.bg before you go
Good to know: Bring a sworn translation for non-EU licences
District administration (район)
Local documents, property tax and vehicle tax
Plovdiv has six districts · Hours vary
Good to know: Ask which district your street belongs to
National Revenue Agency (NAP)
Tax registration, social security, health insurance status
Find your office at nra.bg · Many services work online with a PIK code
Good to know: Ask for a PIK code once: it saves many visits
Find help in Plovdiv
English-speaking professionals near you
Lawyers, accountants, doctors and agents who work with expats in Plovdiv, checked by our team.
What’s on near Plovdiv
Festivals, concerts, traditions and markets across Bulgaria, with what each one is about so you know what to expect.
See events in PlovdivCompare
