The new “normal”
In the aftermath of the COVID pandemic more and more people experience the advantages and disadvantages of working from home. Avoiding the morning rush and the long commute to work are arguably the two big wins. The latter also helps you reduce carbon emissions and saves you some cash. On the other hand, people working from home could experience mental health issues and invasion of privacy, while some of the money saved from travel will go towards increased heating and electricity bills.
For many of us, working from home is exactly what it says on the tin. Using the comfort of our homes as our office space. For “digital nomads” however, it could also mean traveling to a foreign country and finding inspiration in a co-working space abroad. After all, they are people earning a living working online in various locations of their choosing. Bulgaria quickly is becoming one such location. All in all, international travel is becoming popular again due to the lift of travel restrictions and increased vaccination rates. Both Sofia and Bansko have established themselves as great places for remote working. All you need is your personal computer and your passport to continue developing your next big project or idea.
A winning combination
Sofia has ranked amongst the best cities for “workcation” according to the website Holidu – a popular vacation rental search engine. As Holidu describes it, “workcation” is the best of both worlds, remote working away from home in a combination with “a change in scenery and a chance to relax”. Their methodology includes several ranking factors in the two key groups work and vacation. The main drivers in the work category vary from: average WiFi speed, number of co-working spaces, the average price of a coffee, average price of a taxi per km. The remote connection is the most important factor carrying extra weighting in the calculation and co-working spaces are the second most important. Sofia ranked 7th in Europe, just after Madrid and above Krakow. Bulgaria’s capital scores well on WiFi speed with 30 Mbps and a good number of co-working spaces – 54 in total. Finding those locations is easy with coworker.com. Bulgaria is well known for the affordable price of coffee and beer, as well as taxi services in Sofia.
The largest city in Bulgaria scores well as a holiday destination too. The key metrics include the price of a 1-bedroom apartment a merely 313 GBP per month, the average cost of a meal in a local restaurant at only 5.20 GBP, plenty of sunshine hours – a total of 2,112 and plenty of tourists attractions on TripAdvisor – well over 598. To name a few: St Alexander Nevski Cathedral, National History Museum, and the National Theater.
Income generated in Bulgaria is taxed at a flat rate of 10%. One of the lowest in the EU. Tax and taxation in Bulgaria.
Adventure awaits
Sites such as Coworking Bansko provide all the facilities you would ever need and more. There is the choice of rooms, the lounge vs. the quiet room, the choice of drinks, a cold beer vs. a cup of tasty coffee, and finally a friendly and supportive community just minutes away from the most popular ski resort in Bulgaria. This mountain resort also hosts the Bansko Nomad Fest 2025 planned to start on the 23rd of June. For a week, hundreds of nomads, remote workers, and freelancers will enjoy a mix of presentations, workshops, sports, mindfulness, and nature. Get your tickets from https://www.banskonomadfest.com/
Digital Nomad survival pack
A good laptop and a mobile phone are must have, but there are other things that will be invaluable once you start travelling. Power banks will save you when you can’t get to a power socket. Noise-cancelling headphones will help you work even when you’re stuck in a busy coworking space.
For security and to ensure you can access apps and services you normally use in your home country, a good and reliable VPN will be invaluable. You should also check your mobile phone options, whether you plan on buying local sim cards, or want to invest in a data package for your smartphone.
Digital Nomad visa
A new possibility for issuing a long-term residence permit for digital nomads is introduced . A “digital nomad” must meet one of the following conditions:
Has a valid employment contract with a company established outside the EU, EEA or Swiss Confederation;
Represents, owns, manages or holds a significant share (over 25%) of such a company through which it provides remote services, without carrying out activities for the benefit of Bulgarian companies;
Provides services in a personal capacity (with the exception of services for clients in Bulgaria) for at least 1 year prior to submitting an application.
The person must prove an average annual income of no less than 50 times the established minimum monthly salary for the previous calendar year. The residence permit is issued for 1 year with the possibility of a single extension for another 1 year.
