🏙️ Plovdiv for digital nomads: life and work
Are you looking for a European city with an affordable standard of living, high-speed Internet and a large number of like-minded people? Then you should pay attention to the Bulgarian Plovdiv. Let's look at the pros and cons of the city for digital nomads.
Housing
No matter how long you decide to stay in Plov Diva, there will be no problems finding accommodation.
The average cost of a one-room apartment for a day on Airbnb will cost 35-40 € somewhere in the center or district of Marash. And this is a great option if you are visiting for a short time or want to look for an apartment for long-term rental locally.
If you decide to stay in Plovdiv, it is worth considering that most rental apartments will require a minimum six-month contract and a deposit equal to one month's rent. In this case, a room can be rented from 60 €. A studio apartment in the city center will cost 150 € and more. True, the renovation may be a little tired.
If you want a larger apartment with good repairs, then for a month it will cost from 350 €. Not all landlords include utilities in the rental price. On average, for a month it can cost an additional 60 € per one-room apartment.
As for the choice of area, most of the good restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues are in the center of Plovdiv. But housing prices are higher here. The Kapan area is the most popular among young people due to its large concentration of stylish bars and concert venues. True, the streets here are intertwined like a labyrinth, for which the locals nicknamed the area “Trap”.
The old town is located on the hills in the center of Plovdiv. There are a couple of good restaurants, historical ruins of a Roman theater and an ancient castle. But there are no grocery stores. In addition, when returning home, you should think about comfortable shoes, because you will have to walk uphill.
There are good areas – Kamenitsa 1 near train stations and parks and Marasha – calm and quiet, not far from the center.
Nutrition
Bulgarian cuisine is good for its diversity, where everyone will find something to suit their taste. Lunch in an inexpensive restaurant per person will cost from 5 €.
Plovdiv has many supermarkets, convenience stores and farmers' markets with organic products. And prices are lower than in most other European countries.
For example, a dozen eggs will cost 4.5 € – over the year they have risen in price by 75%. Potatoes will cost 1.3 €, beef – 12.2 €, chicken – 6.6 €, bananas and apples – 1.8 €, tomatoes – 2.3 € per kilogram, and water – 0.6 € for 1.5 liters.
Tap water is not drinkable, so it's worth considering the cost of bottled water. On average, a family of three will spend about 100 € on groceries for a week.
Beer in a bar and coffee in a cafe will cost about 1.5 €.
Transport
Public urban transport in Plovdiv is not particularly diverse. There are buses and minibuses here. A one-way ticket for a bus costs approximately 0.5 €, a day ticket costs 2.5 €. You can view the schedule and routes on the Plovdiv Municipality website. Alternatively, you can take a taxi.
When it comes to international travel, Plovdiv is one of the most important transport centers in Bulgaria. The airport is located 12 km from the city, there is a major highway and a railway line. Buses travel on international routes.
For example, you can get to the Black Sea in Burgas in 4 hours and 13 € by bus or by train for 19 €. It takes 2.5 hours to get to Sofia and the trip costs 8€ by bus and 13€ by train.
Internet and communications
The Internet in Bulgaria is quite fast. The average download speed in Plovdiv is 70 Mbit/s, upload speed is 45 Mbit/s. For a month it will be about 8€.
Most cafes offer a stable 40 Mbit/s. But if you need higher speed, then in some coworking spaces it reaches 200 Mbit/s.
As for mobile communications, there are several operators, the largest of which is A1. Tourists are offered only prepaid rates. The option with unlimited internet will cost 10€.
Coworking spaces
There are many Wi-Fi cafes in the city where you can order coffee for 1-1.5 € and sit at your laptop all day. For example, Art News Cafe has everything for productive work: delicious coffee, reliable Internet and cool air. You might consider Coffee & Gallery Cu29 or Otsreshta Cafe Bar. They also have their advantages, but the Internet can let you down.
There are many coworking spaces in Plovdiv, where a hot desk will cost from 60 €/month. Biz Labs HQ (122€) and Networking Premium Coworking (115€), located in the heart of the Kapan district, are popular.
Entertainment
Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, whose history began before our era. Of course, it’s easy to find several interesting ancient structures, for example, the Roman Amphitheater or Asen’s Fortress.
To feel the contrast of this place, where antiquity is closely intertwined with modernity, it is worth taking a walk along the hills of the Old Town and then descending into the newfangled Kapan district.
In addition, restaurants and cafes are generously scattered along the streets of Plovdiv, where you can get acquainted with Bulgarian cuisine or meet with friends.
For example, the Smokini restaurant with a cozy provincial atmosphere or the Happy Bar & Grill with its rich menu and large plasma screens for sports fans. Torro Grande with delicious sushi on the open veranda or Rahat Tepe with traditional Bulgarian dishes and views of half of Plovdiv.
And if you want to be more active, you can do yoga in a local park, find a fitness club near your home, or rent a bicycle.
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Medicine
Medicine in Bulgaria is paid, as in other European countries. The only exceptions are emergency cases. So it’s better to get expensive, high-quality insurance.
With kids
Kindergartens
State kindergartens for foreign children cost approximately 35-50 € per month, but it will be extremely difficult to register a child without a residence permit. Private gardens will charge 170-300 €, but without a queue. And here you can choose a package for your visit and get a discount for a one-time payment for several months.
Schools
There are several schools in Plovdiv. For example, the “Hristo Botev” primary school with after-school education. Or the Plovdiv National Gymnasium of Commerce, which accepts students who have completed 7 grades. As well as the Gymnasium for the Humanities “St. Kiril and Metodiy”, which is accepted on a competitive basis after successful exams in mathematics, Bulgarian language and literature.
Universities
The city has several higher education institutions. The University of Plovdiv for foreigners in the humanities will cost 5,000 € per year, despite the fact that for citizens of the country this amount is 9 times lower. The same prices apply to the Medical University. For farmers, the amount of training per year is 2500 €.
With animals
When importing a pet into the country, they will require an international veterinary passport and a certificate that the animal is healthy. A record of vaccination against rabies must be required, which must be at least a month and no more than a year old.
Lima and weather
The climate here is temperate continental. Summers are hot, dry and sunny. The air temperature reaches +30°C. And winter is cool and snowy (air temperature, as a rule, is not lower than -3°C).
Legalization
There is no digital nomad visa in Bulgaria. A tourist visa is issued for 90 days. Bulgaria is not part of the Schengen zone, despite the fact that it joined the European Union in 2007. A Schengen multiple-entry visa is formally equivalent to a Bulgarian visa for entering the territory of Bulgaria, but a Bulgarian visa cannot be used to travel to Schengen countries.
Owners of real estate in Bulgaria have the right to receive a multiple visa for a period of one year or more with a permitted stay in Bulgaria of 180 days a year.
If Bulgaria impresses you so much that you want to make it the base of your nomadic lifestyle, you can try to get a residence permit. To do this, you need to use one of the programs, for example, find an employer or become a major investor yourself. You can go to university or go to a medical facility for long-term treatment.
Safety
The city is quite safe with a low crime rate. However, Bulgarians are not very friendly towards LGBT people. As in any foreign city, we recommend taking the usual precautions and leaving night walks alone for the locals.
There are issues with corruption here. So if you have to fill out any documents, be prepared to deal with it.