As an expat be prepared to hear “this is normal in Georgia” every time something goes wrong. No one is in a hurry to fix anything - from broken lift in the building (I even got stuck once on a Sunday night and was told “maybe someone will come tomorrow to free you”! - had to break out myself) to your wifi (stopped working for almost 2 weeks, not until we threatened to change companies that they decided to send a technician). We didn’t find it very friendly. People don’t smile, staff in stores are surly and unhelpful. The taxi drivers are the worst in the world (including Uber). Utter maniacs. The cost of living has risen steeply because of inflation. People also constantly thought we were Russian and we got yelled at several times by locals who don’t want Russians around (for obvious reasons). Overall, it’s not the most pleasant place to be an expat. However, the food is delicious (if heavy), the scenery is gorgeous. The mobile data is cheap, but groceries ans eating out is more expensive than we expected. I’d recommend it for a month or two, but no more.
Pros and Cons of Living in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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Pros of Living in Plovdiv
Affordable to live Very safe Fast internet Warm now Perfect humidity now Good air quality on average Spacious and not crowded Easy to do business High quality of education Roads are very safe Democratic People can speak basic English Safe for women Family friendly
Cons of Living in Plovdiv
Freedom of speech is weak Not much to do Gets cold in the winter Not many Nomad List members go here Hospitals are bad Hostile towards LGBTQ+ Many people smoke tobacco -
By far one of the best cities in Bulgaria, located in the center of the country, with good views upon the Balkans + Rila Rodopi mountains. Has good scenery from 2-3 hills + cheap food/drinks and so on! Fully recommend for those who wanna see it!
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According to all the sources I've read the tap water in Plovdiv is completely fine to drink. Not sure why Nomadlist is saying it's contaminated. Nice and green city, lot of parks and hills. Very cheap!
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The pollution from cars is the worst thing about Plovdiv. Well also the showers that take up the entire bathroom. The fascinating, long history is the best thing here. People are polite, decent, and helpful.
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I've been here for the last 5 months. People are extremely friendly the weather has been amazing (on the too hot side, during the summer). You can drink tap water, Nomadlist, check that. It is very cheap, walkable, plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants. It is very safe. The gym scene is not great but you can survive. Not many hipsters, but overloaded with instagrammers (like everywhere else, I guess). All in all, it's a beautiful city, safe, affordable, welcoming (if you are white). Racist graffiti is all over, but I haven't heard of any violence. That part is sad. Sometimes I think I'll stay here forever, sometimes other cities want me to know them.
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