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SettleMetric.

Bulgaria vs Türkiye

Bulgaria is ahead on money & crypto, safety, housing, language, infrastructure. Türkiye is ahead on taxes. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.

Verified

Scoreboard

The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.

Bulgaria leads on 5 of 7
BulgariaTürkiye
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)$460/mo
i

NSI Bulgaria — Income, Expenditure and Consumption of Households in 2024 (Household Budget Survey)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
NSI HBS 2024 consumer expenditure per household member = BGN 9,466/yr (COICOP consumption, effectively rent-free — Bulgaria doesn't impute owner rent, ~85% ownership, housing line is utilities). 9,466 ÷ 12 = 788.83 BGN/mo ÷ 1.95583 = €403.32/mo × 1.1399 = $459.75/mo → $460. Household-Budget-Survey basis chosen for peer consistency (matching the capture ratio of the Spain/Czechia figures). Bulgaria is the cheapest of the peer set.
Notes
The cheapest vs peers (BG ~$460 < CZ ~$785 < ES ~$941), consistent with income levels. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN).
$450/mo
i

TÜİK — Household Consumption Expenditure 2024 (per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
TÜİK 2024 average household consumption 45,344 TRY/mo ÷ 3.1 persons = 14,627 TRY/capita (2024). Housing (26.0%) split ~70% rent (excluded) / ~30% utilities (kept), matching the peer basis. Excl-rent per-capita uplifted to mid-2026 by TÜİK CPI ×1.7534 and converted at 46.65 TRY/USD (TCMB 2026-07-02) → ≈$450.
Notes
WARNING — lira volatility: with ~32% annual inflation and a constantly repricing FX rate, this USD figure carries a ±15–20% band and shifts month to month; the TRY has appreciated in real terms since 2024, so Türkiye's USD cost of living has been RISING even as it stays below EU peers. All-household per-capita basis; Istanbul/İzmir run above the national figure.
Rent: 1-bedroom (city avg)$570/mo
i

Investropa — Bulgaria rents (aggregating Global Property Guide, imot.bg listings, Bulgarian Properties, Q1 2026)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Mar 31, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
National average asking rent for a 1-bedroom apartment (Bulgarian 'двустаен' = 1 bedroom + living room) ~€500/month (range €300–850) → $570 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Listing asking prices (no official Bulgarian asking-rent index exists).
Notes
National aggregate; Sofia is above the average (Sofia €/m² ~12.5, Varna ~10, Plovdiv/Burgas ~8.5). The per-city rent matrices live on the city pages. EUR-quoted market (euro adopted 1 Jan 2026).
$720/mo
i

Endeksa Istanbul rental index + reported 1+1 city-average asking rents

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Istanbul 1+1 (one-bedroom) city-average asking rent ≈ 33,600 TRY/mo (late-2025→mid-2026; endeksa June-2026 city median ~420 TRY/m²) ÷ 46.65 TRY/USD (TCMB 2026-07-02) ≈ $720.
Notes
Istanbul figure (the reference city), not national — the national average is materially lower. Huge center/periphery spread: outer districts imply ~$490 for a 1+1, central districts push toward $860–1,100. Istanbul rents surged far faster than general inflation over 2022–2025; the USD value is volatile with the lira. Asking prices, not signed leases. Per-city rent matrices live on the city pages.
Freelancer tax burden18.1%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (НАП 10% flat + 25% deemed expenses, НОИ 27.8% capped social)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Best representative freelancer scheme at €60,000, single = свободна професия (scheme bg-svobodna-profesia): 25% deemed expenses → base €45,000; social 27.8% capped at €7,044.43 (max insurable income €2,111.64/mo); 10% tax on €37,955.57 = €3,795.56. Levies €10,839.99 → 18.1%. The ЕООД company chain (10% + 5% dividend) shows a lower headline (~14.5%) but excludes the compulsory owner-manager social insurance, so свободна професия is the honest freelancer burden.
4.4%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (100% service-export income deduction, Bağ-Kur minimum premium)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme at €60,000 (~3,193,644 TL) for an IT freelancer serving FOREIGN clients (scheme tr-freelancer-export): the 100% service-export income deduction (raised from 80% for 2026) zeroes the income tax; only the fixed minimum Bağ-Kur social premium (11,808.23 TL/month = 141,699/yr) is due. Burden = 141,699 / 3,193,644 = 4.4%. Serving Turkish clients instead (no export deduction) runs ~31–33% (progressive + Bağ-Kur).
Homicide rate1.23/100k
i

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=BG)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (1.23). Downward trend from 2.29 in 2008; recent years 2020 0.96, 2021 1.29, 2022 1.11, 2023 1.15, 2024 1.23. Moderate by European standards.
3.23/100k
i

World Bank / UNODC — intentional homicides per 100,000 (Türkiye, 2023)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
UNODC series via the World Bank: 3.23 per 100,000 in 2023 (up from 2.62 in 2022; the series has gaps and swings). 2024/2025 not yet published. Türkiye is not covered by Eurostat, so cross-country comparison relies on the UNODC series. Moderate-to-higher than the European peers in the set.
Internet speed43 Mbps
i

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Bulgaria

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for BG in 2023 = 42.85 Mbps (139,790 download tests). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and understates real line speeds — Bulgaria has very fast, cheap fibre (commonly 100–1000 Mbps advertised) — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
Bulgaria is known for fast, inexpensive fixed broadband; the M-Lab single-stream median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.
12 Mbps
i

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Türkiye (Asia grouping)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for TR in 2023 = 12.09 Mbps (402,083 download tests; Türkiye is filed under M-Lab's Asia (AS) continent grouping, not EU). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below marketed figures — Turkish fibre commonly markets 100–1000 Mbps — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
The single-stream M-Lab median is low (and the lowest in the set) but reflects a consistent cross-country method, not real fibre-line speeds; Turkish fixed broadband is much faster in practice.
English proficiencyHigh
i

EF EPI 2025 — Bulgaria (score 594, rank 18/123, High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Bulgaria ranks #18 of 123, score 594 (global average 488), 'High Proficiency' band. English is broadly workable in Sofia's tech and service sectors and among younger Bulgarians; Bulgarian (Cyrillic) remains essential for administration and daily life outside the capital.
Low
i

EF EPI 2025 — Türkiye (rank 71/123, score 488, Low band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Türkiye rank 71/123, score 488 (Low band, cutoff 450–499), a 9-point decline from the prior edition. English is workable in Istanbul/tourism and parts of the tech sector but thin in public offices and smaller cities; Turkish is the sole official language. The lowest English band in the set.
Private healthcare cost$820/yr
i

Curated market survey of Bulgarian voluntary health insurers (2026)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Bulgaria has mandatory public health insurance (НЗОК) with no full private-replacement market, so this is the VOLUNTARY supplementary premium: a comprehensive mid-tier plan (outpatient GP+specialist, labs, imaging, hospitalisation) ~€60/month = €720/yr → $821/yr at 1.1399. Range €30–60/mo (basic) to €60–120/mo (premium with dental/vision).
Notes
Supplementary to mandatory public НЗОК, not a replacement (like Austria's Sonderklasse). Main voluntary insurers: DZI, Bulstrad VIG, Generali, Allianz Bulgaria, DallBogg, UNIQA. Indicative premiums, vary with coverage caps and deductibles.
$860/yr
i

Curated from Turkish private health insurers (özel sağlık sigortası; Allianz, Anadolu, Axa, Türkiye Sigorta) — insurers quote individually

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 15, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Comprehensive standalone private health insurance (outpatient + inpatient private-hospital cover) for a healthy 35-year-old runs ~25,000–100,000 TRY/yr depending on the contracted hospital network; a mid-tier plan sits near ~40,000 TRY/yr ≈ $860 at 46.65 TRY/USD. Band ≈ $540–$2,140.
Notes
Two-tier context: residents with a work/residence basis are covered by mandatory public insurance (SGK); on top, Turks commonly buy complementary insurance (~5,000–20,000 TRY/yr) working with SGK at private hospitals, or full standalone private cover (this figure). The cheap mandatory foreigner residence-permit policy (~$32–130/yr) is minimal cover, not comparable. Private cover is cheap in USD because of the weak lira; TRY premiums rise 50–80%/yr, so this is a volatile curated midpoint.

Verdict

Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.

Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.

Bulgaria fits better — 3 of 5

BulgariaTürkiye
Freelancer tax burden18.1%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (НАП 10% flat + 25% deemed expenses, НОИ 27.8% capped social)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Best representative freelancer scheme at €60,000, single = свободна професия (scheme bg-svobodna-profesia): 25% deemed expenses → base €45,000; social 27.8% capped at €7,044.43 (max insurable income €2,111.64/mo); 10% tax on €37,955.57 = €3,795.56. Levies €10,839.99 → 18.1%. The ЕООД company chain (10% + 5% dividend) shows a lower headline (~14.5%) but excludes the compulsory owner-manager social insurance, so свободна професия is the honest freelancer burden.
4.4%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (100% service-export income deduction, Bağ-Kur minimum premium)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme at €60,000 (~3,193,644 TL) for an IT freelancer serving FOREIGN clients (scheme tr-freelancer-export): the 100% service-export income deduction (raised from 80% for 2026) zeroes the income tax; only the fixed minimum Bağ-Kur social premium (11,808.23 TL/month = 141,699/yr) is due. Burden = 141,699 / 3,193,644 = 4.4%. Serving Turkish clients instead (no export deduction) runs ~31–33% (progressive + Bağ-Kur).
Internet speed43 Mbps
i

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Bulgaria

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for BG in 2023 = 42.85 Mbps (139,790 download tests). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and understates real line speeds — Bulgaria has very fast, cheap fibre (commonly 100–1000 Mbps advertised) — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
Bulgaria is known for fast, inexpensive fixed broadband; the M-Lab single-stream median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.
12 Mbps
i

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Türkiye (Asia grouping)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for TR in 2023 = 12.09 Mbps (402,083 download tests; Türkiye is filed under M-Lab's Asia (AS) continent grouping, not EU). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below marketed figures — Turkish fibre commonly markets 100–1000 Mbps — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
The single-stream M-Lab median is low (and the lowest in the set) but reflects a consistent cross-country method, not real fibre-line speeds; Turkish fixed broadband is much faster in practice.
English proficiencyHigh
i

EF EPI 2025 — Bulgaria (score 594, rank 18/123, High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Bulgaria ranks #18 of 123, score 594 (global average 488), 'High Proficiency' band. English is broadly workable in Sofia's tech and service sectors and among younger Bulgarians; Bulgarian (Cyrillic) remains essential for administration and daily life outside the capital.
Low
i

EF EPI 2025 — Türkiye (rank 71/123, score 488, Low band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Türkiye rank 71/123, score 488 (Low band, cutoff 450–499), a 9-point decline from the prior edition. English is workable in Istanbul/tourism and parts of the tech sector but thin in public offices and smaller cities; Turkish is the sole official language. The lowest English band in the set.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)$460/mo
i

NSI Bulgaria — Income, Expenditure and Consumption of Households in 2024 (Household Budget Survey)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
NSI HBS 2024 consumer expenditure per household member = BGN 9,466/yr (COICOP consumption, effectively rent-free — Bulgaria doesn't impute owner rent, ~85% ownership, housing line is utilities). 9,466 ÷ 12 = 788.83 BGN/mo ÷ 1.95583 = €403.32/mo × 1.1399 = $459.75/mo → $460. Household-Budget-Survey basis chosen for peer consistency (matching the capture ratio of the Spain/Czechia figures). Bulgaria is the cheapest of the peer set.
Notes
The cheapest vs peers (BG ~$460 < CZ ~$785 < ES ~$941), consistent with income levels. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN).
$450/mo
i

TÜİK — Household Consumption Expenditure 2024 (per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
TÜİK 2024 average household consumption 45,344 TRY/mo ÷ 3.1 persons = 14,627 TRY/capita (2024). Housing (26.0%) split ~70% rent (excluded) / ~30% utilities (kept), matching the peer basis. Excl-rent per-capita uplifted to mid-2026 by TÜİK CPI ×1.7534 and converted at 46.65 TRY/USD (TCMB 2026-07-02) → ≈$450.
Notes
WARNING — lira volatility: with ~32% annual inflation and a constantly repricing FX rate, this USD figure carries a ±15–20% band and shifts month to month; the TRY has appreciated in real terms since 2024, so Türkiye's USD cost of living has been RISING even as it stays below EU peers. All-household per-capita basis; Istanbul/İzmir run above the national figure.
Domestic delivery qualityExcellent
i

Econt and Speedy — Bulgaria's dominant courier networks

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Econt and Speedy form a dense duopoly with nationwide office + automated-locker networks and next-day domestic delivery; cash-on-delivery ('наложен платеж') is the default e-commerce payment method. Fast, cheap, reliable → excellent.
Good
i

Turkish carrier ecosystem — PTT + Yurtiçi/Aras/MNG/Sürat/Sendeo/HepsiJET/Trendyol Express

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 15, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Dense, competitive domestic courier market on the back of a huge e-commerce sector (Trendyol, Hepsiburada): PTT Kargo plus Yurtiçi, Aras, MNG, Sürat, Sendeo, HepsiJET and Trendyol Express give nationwide next-day/2-day coverage; same/next-day is normal in the big metros. Cash-on-delivery ('kapıda ödeme') is ubiquitous. Parcel-locker density is growing but below the locker-saturated benchmark, so rated 'good' rather than 'excellent'.

Relocating with a partner and school-age children.

Bulgaria fits better — 3 of 3

BulgariaTürkiye
Homicide rate1.23/100k
i

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=BG)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (1.23). Downward trend from 2.29 in 2008; recent years 2020 0.96, 2021 1.29, 2022 1.11, 2023 1.15, 2024 1.23. Moderate by European standards.
3.23/100k
i

World Bank / UNODC — intentional homicides per 100,000 (Türkiye, 2023)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
UNODC series via the World Bank: 3.23 per 100,000 in 2023 (up from 2.62 in 2022; the series has gaps and swings). 2024/2025 not yet published. Türkiye is not covered by Eurostat, so cross-country comparison relies on the UNODC series. Moderate-to-higher than the European peers in the set.
Private healthcare cost$820/yr
i

Curated market survey of Bulgarian voluntary health insurers (2026)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Bulgaria has mandatory public health insurance (НЗОК) with no full private-replacement market, so this is the VOLUNTARY supplementary premium: a comprehensive mid-tier plan (outpatient GP+specialist, labs, imaging, hospitalisation) ~€60/month = €720/yr → $821/yr at 1.1399. Range €30–60/mo (basic) to €60–120/mo (premium with dental/vision).
Notes
Supplementary to mandatory public НЗОК, not a replacement (like Austria's Sonderklasse). Main voluntary insurers: DZI, Bulstrad VIG, Generali, Allianz Bulgaria, DallBogg, UNIQA. Indicative premiums, vary with coverage caps and deductibles.
$860/yr
i

Curated from Turkish private health insurers (özel sağlık sigortası; Allianz, Anadolu, Axa, Türkiye Sigorta) — insurers quote individually

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 15, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Comprehensive standalone private health insurance (outpatient + inpatient private-hospital cover) for a healthy 35-year-old runs ~25,000–100,000 TRY/yr depending on the contracted hospital network; a mid-tier plan sits near ~40,000 TRY/yr ≈ $860 at 46.65 TRY/USD. Band ≈ $540–$2,140.
Notes
Two-tier context: residents with a work/residence basis are covered by mandatory public insurance (SGK); on top, Turks commonly buy complementary insurance (~5,000–20,000 TRY/yr) working with SGK at private hospitals, or full standalone private cover (this figure). The cheap mandatory foreigner residence-permit policy (~$32–130/yr) is minimal cover, not comparable. Private cover is cheap in USD because of the weak lira; TRY premiums rise 50–80%/yr, so this is a volatile curated midpoint.
English proficiencyHigh
i

EF EPI 2025 — Bulgaria (score 594, rank 18/123, High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Bulgaria ranks #18 of 123, score 594 (global average 488), 'High Proficiency' band. English is broadly workable in Sofia's tech and service sectors and among younger Bulgarians; Bulgarian (Cyrillic) remains essential for administration and daily life outside the capital.
Low
i

EF EPI 2025 — Türkiye (rank 71/123, score 488, Low band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Türkiye rank 71/123, score 488 (Low band, cutoff 450–499), a 9-point decline from the prior edition. English is workable in Istanbul/tourism and parts of the tech sector but thin in public offices and smaller cities; Turkish is the sole official language. The lowest English band in the set.

Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.

A close call for this plan

BulgariaTürkiye
Crypto regulationLegal regulated
i

EU MiCA (supervised in Bulgaria by the FSC) + Bulgarian Personal Income Tax Act (ЗДДФЛ) administered by НАП

Official source

Data as of
Jul 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Crypto is legal. Individual gains from crypto disposals are taxed as investment income at the 10% flat rate (a 10% deemed-cost deduction makes the effective rate ~9%), declared on Annex 5 of the annual return. MiCA is fully in force EU-wide; crypto-asset service providers must be licensed by the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), transitional-regime deadline 1 July 2026. Supervisor FSC (fsc.bg); tax authority НАП (nap.bg).
Legal regulated
i

Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (SPK/CMB) — Law No. 7518 licensing of crypto-asset service providers; CBRT 2021 crypto-payment ban

Official source

Data as of
Jul 2, 2024
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Trading, holding and exchanging crypto are legal and very popular, but PAYING with crypto is BANNED (CBRT regulation in force 30 April 2021). Law No. 7518 (in force from 2 July 2024) put crypto-asset service providers under the Capital Markets Board (SPK): mandatory licensing, custody duties and minimum capital; offshore platforms targeting residents and crypto ATMs had to wind down. Classified 'legal-regulated' — trading legal and now formally supervised, payments prohibited.
Financial control levelLow
i

Bulgarian Law on Limitation of Cash Payments (ЗОПБ) + EU free movement of capital; euro adoption 1 Jan 2026

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Composite: Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (fixed 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN); EU member with full free movement of capital, no capital controls or currency-conversion limits. The only notable restriction is a domestic cash-payment ceiling (Law on Limitation of Cash Payments): payments at/above ~€5,113 (BGN 10,000) must be non-cash — a routine AML measure. The EU-wide €10,000 cash cap applies from 2027. No limits on holding foreign currency or cross-border transfers → 'low'.
Moderate
i

Revenue Administration (GİB) — cash-payment documentation (tevsik) limit; CBRT crypto-payment ban

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Composite: the lira is freely convertible and residents may hold foreign-currency deposits/accounts and move money abroad — no hard individual capital controls. But the state exerts more control than EU peers: payments above 30,000 TRY (~$640) must be routed through banks/cards (tevsik rule); crypto payments are banned; the authorities intervene actively in the FX market and use reserve/macroprudential measures; and import de-minimis is low with high duties. Freely convertible but with a low cash-through-bank threshold and several controls → 'moderate' (stricter end).
Notes
High inflation erodes money in practice but is not a legal control. Day-to-day banking, FX purchase and transfers are unrestricted for an individual; the frictions are the low cash-routing threshold, the crypto-payment ban and occasional FX intervention.
Freelancer tax burden18.1%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (НАП 10% flat + 25% deemed expenses, НОИ 27.8% capped social)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Best representative freelancer scheme at €60,000, single = свободна професия (scheme bg-svobodna-profesia): 25% deemed expenses → base €45,000; social 27.8% capped at €7,044.43 (max insurable income €2,111.64/mo); 10% tax on €37,955.57 = €3,795.56. Levies €10,839.99 → 18.1%. The ЕООД company chain (10% + 5% dividend) shows a lower headline (~14.5%) but excludes the compulsory owner-manager social insurance, so свободна професия is the honest freelancer burden.
4.4%
i

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (100% service-export income deduction, Bağ-Kur minimum premium)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme at €60,000 (~3,193,644 TL) for an IT freelancer serving FOREIGN clients (scheme tr-freelancer-export): the 100% service-export income deduction (raised from 80% for 2026) zeroes the income tax; only the fixed minimum Bağ-Kur social premium (11,808.23 TL/month = 141,699/yr) is due. Burden = 141,699 / 3,193,644 = 4.4%. Serving Turkish clients instead (no export deduction) runs ~31–33% (progressive + Bağ-Kur).

Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.

Bulgaria fits better — 1 of 2

BulgariaTürkiye
Homicide rate1.23/100k
i

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=BG)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (1.23). Downward trend from 2.29 in 2008; recent years 2020 0.96, 2021 1.29, 2022 1.11, 2023 1.15, 2024 1.23. Moderate by European standards.
3.23/100k
i

World Bank / UNODC — intentional homicides per 100,000 (Türkiye, 2023)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
UNODC series via the World Bank: 3.23 per 100,000 in 2023 (up from 2.62 in 2022; the series has gaps and swings). 2024/2025 not yet published. Türkiye is not covered by Eurostat, so cross-country comparison relies on the UNODC series. Moderate-to-higher than the European peers in the set.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)$460/mo
i

NSI Bulgaria — Income, Expenditure and Consumption of Households in 2024 (Household Budget Survey)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
NSI HBS 2024 consumer expenditure per household member = BGN 9,466/yr (COICOP consumption, effectively rent-free — Bulgaria doesn't impute owner rent, ~85% ownership, housing line is utilities). 9,466 ÷ 12 = 788.83 BGN/mo ÷ 1.95583 = €403.32/mo × 1.1399 = $459.75/mo → $460. Household-Budget-Survey basis chosen for peer consistency (matching the capture ratio of the Spain/Czechia figures). Bulgaria is the cheapest of the peer set.
Notes
The cheapest vs peers (BG ~$460 < CZ ~$785 < ES ~$941), consistent with income levels. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN).
$450/mo
i

TÜİK — Household Consumption Expenditure 2024 (per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
TÜİK 2024 average household consumption 45,344 TRY/mo ÷ 3.1 persons = 14,627 TRY/capita (2024). Housing (26.0%) split ~70% rent (excluded) / ~30% utilities (kept), matching the peer basis. Excl-rent per-capita uplifted to mid-2026 by TÜİK CPI ×1.7534 and converted at 46.65 TRY/USD (TCMB 2026-07-02) → ≈$450.
Notes
WARNING — lira volatility: with ~32% annual inflation and a constantly repricing FX rate, this USD figure carries a ±15–20% band and shifts month to month; the TRY has appreciated in real terms since 2024, so Türkiye's USD cost of living has been RISING even as it stays below EU peers. All-household per-capita basis; Istanbul/İzmir run above the national figure.

Details

Taxes

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile18.17.44.410.0

What this measures

Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.

Lower is better· % effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (НАП 10% flat + 25% deemed expenses, НОИ 27.8% capped social)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Best representative freelancer scheme at €60,000, single = свободна професия (scheme bg-svobodna-profesia): 25% deemed expenses → base €45,000; social 27.8% capped at €7,044.43 (max insurable income €2,111.64/mo); 10% tax on €37,955.57 = €3,795.56. Levies €10,839.99 → 18.1%. The ЕООД company chain (10% + 5% dividend) shows a lower headline (~14.5%) but excludes the compulsory owner-manager social insurance, so свободна професия is the honest freelancer burden.

Türkiye

SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (100% service-export income deduction, Bağ-Kur minimum premium)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Best eligible scheme at €60,000 (~3,193,644 TL) for an IT freelancer serving FOREIGN clients (scheme tr-freelancer-export): the 100% service-export income deduction (raised from 80% for 2026) zeroes the income tax; only the fixed minimum Bağ-Kur social premium (11,808.23 TL/month = 141,699/yr) is due. Burden = 141,699 / 3,193,644 = 4.4%. Serving Turkish clients instead (no export deduction) runs ~31–33% (progressive + Bağ-Kur).

Legalization

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Remote-work legalization easeDedicated nomad visa10.0Dedicated nomad visa10.0

What this measures

Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Bulgaria

Закон за чужденците в Република България — 2025 digital-nomad amendment (Държавен вестник, 27 June 2025); opened for 2026

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Bulgaria created a dedicated digital-nomad residence route via the June 2025 Foreigners Act amendment, opened to applications for 2026 — for non-EU remote workers earning from abroad (income ≥ 50× the previous year's monthly minimum wage, ~€27,500/year). Combined with the 10% flat tax and low cost of living it is one of the EU's most attractive nomad setups. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens simply exercise free movement.

Türkiye

GoTürkiye (official) — Digital Nomad Visa program

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Türkiye runs a dedicated digital-nomad route on the government GoTürkiye platform (Digital Nomad Identification Certificate → visa → short-term residence), for degree-holding remote workers aged 21–55 earning ≥ $3,000/month from abroad. A short-term residence permit (ikamet) is the general fallback. Combined with the 100% service-export tax deduction it is a strong, low-tax remote-work base.

Cost of living

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rent46010.045010.0

What this measures

Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.

Lower is better· USD/month, single person, excluding rent· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

NSI Bulgaria — Income, Expenditure and Consumption of Households in 2024 (Household Budget Survey)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
NSI HBS 2024 consumer expenditure per household member = BGN 9,466/yr (COICOP consumption, effectively rent-free — Bulgaria doesn't impute owner rent, ~85% ownership, housing line is utilities). 9,466 ÷ 12 = 788.83 BGN/mo ÷ 1.95583 = €403.32/mo × 1.1399 = $459.75/mo → $460. Household-Budget-Survey basis chosen for peer consistency (matching the capture ratio of the Spain/Czechia figures). Bulgaria is the cheapest of the peer set.
Notes
The cheapest vs peers (BG ~$460 < CZ ~$785 < ES ~$941), consistent with income levels. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN).

Türkiye

TÜİK — Household Consumption Expenditure 2024 (per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
TÜİK 2024 average household consumption 45,344 TRY/mo ÷ 3.1 persons = 14,627 TRY/capita (2024). Housing (26.0%) split ~70% rent (excluded) / ~30% utilities (kept), matching the peer basis. Excl-rent per-capita uplifted to mid-2026 by TÜİK CPI ×1.7534 and converted at 46.65 TRY/USD (TCMB 2026-07-02) → ≈$450.
Notes
WARNING — lira volatility: with ~32% annual inflation and a constantly repricing FX rate, this USD figure carries a ±15–20% band and shifts month to month; the TRY has appreciated in real terms since 2024, so Türkiye's USD cost of living has been RISING even as it stays below EU peers. All-household per-capita basis; Istanbul/İzmir run above the national figure.
Monthly spending by category (excl. rent)
CategoryBulgaria
i

NSI Bulgaria — Household Budget Survey 2024 (consumer expenditure by group)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Each NSI 2024 COICOP group (BGN/capita/yr) converted ÷12 ÷1.95583 ×1.1399. Items sum ≈ $460, matching the headline. NSI merges recreation+culture+education and folds restaurants/hotels into food/misc; housing line is utilities only (no rent, per the HBS convention).
Türkiye
i

TÜİK Household Consumption Expenditure 2024 (per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
TÜİK 2024 per-capita monthly spend by COICOP division ÷ 3.1 per capita, ×1.7534 CPI uplift to mid-2026, ÷46.65 TRY/USD; housing shown as utilities only (~30% of the housing division, rent excluded). Sums to ≈$450. Türkiye has an unusually high transport share (21.6%), driven by fuel and vehicle costs.
Food & non-alcoholic beverages$163$99
Transport$41$119
Housing utilities (water, electricity, gas, fuels)$61
Clothing & footwear$21$28
Housing utilities (energy, water, maintenance) excl. rent$43
Recreation, culture & education$38
Restaurants & accommodation$36
Health$35
Furnishings & household equipment$32
Miscellaneous goods & services$28
Furnishing & household maintenance$28
Communications$23
Alcoholic beverages & tobacco$22
Personal care & miscellaneous goods/services$21
Information & communication$20
Alcohol & tobacco$14
Health (out-of-pocket)$13
Recreation, sport & culture$13
Education services$9
Insurance & financial services$4
Total (excl. rent)$460/mo$451/mo

Housing

Rent by apartment type

Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).

ApartmentBulgaria
i

SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Plovdiv, Sofia)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 14, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Plovdiv, Sofia; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
Türkiye
i

SettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Antalya, Istanbul)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jun 30, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Population-weighted mean of the rent-breakdown matrices of Antalya, Istanbul; each cell averages the cities that report it. See each city page for its exact local matrix.
Studio$378 ($266)$353 ($182)
1-bedroom$504 ($355)$471 ($244)
2-bedroom$758 ($532)$706 ($366)
3-bedroom$1,072 ($754)$1,000 ($518)

Safety

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/year1.28.53.26.1

What this measures

Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).

Lower is better· intentional homicides per 100,000/year· re-verified every 730 days

Bulgaria

Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB, geo=BG)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2024
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (1.23). Downward trend from 2.29 in 2008; recent years 2020 0.96, 2021 1.29, 2022 1.11, 2023 1.15, 2024 1.23. Moderate by European standards.

Türkiye

World Bank / UNODC — intentional homicides per 100,000 (Türkiye, 2023)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
UNODC series via the World Bank: 3.23 per 100,000 in 2023 (up from 2.62 in 2022; the series has gaps and swings). 2024/2025 not yet published. Türkiye is not covered by Eurostat, so cross-country comparison relies on the UNODC series. Moderate-to-higher than the European peers in the set.

Healthcare

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old8209.18609.0

What this measures

Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.

Lower is better· USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

Curated market survey of Bulgarian voluntary health insurers (2026)

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Bulgaria has mandatory public health insurance (НЗОК) with no full private-replacement market, so this is the VOLUNTARY supplementary premium: a comprehensive mid-tier plan (outpatient GP+specialist, labs, imaging, hospitalisation) ~€60/month = €720/yr → $821/yr at 1.1399. Range €30–60/mo (basic) to €60–120/mo (premium with dental/vision).
Notes
Supplementary to mandatory public НЗОК, not a replacement (like Austria's Sonderklasse). Main voluntary insurers: DZI, Bulstrad VIG, Generali, Allianz Bulgaria, DallBogg, UNIQA. Indicative premiums, vary with coverage caps and deductibles.

Türkiye

Curated from Turkish private health insurers (özel sağlık sigortası; Allianz, Anadolu, Axa, Türkiye Sigorta) — insurers quote individually

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 15, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Comprehensive standalone private health insurance (outpatient + inpatient private-hospital cover) for a healthy 35-year-old runs ~25,000–100,000 TRY/yr depending on the contracted hospital network; a mid-tier plan sits near ~40,000 TRY/yr ≈ $860 at 46.65 TRY/USD. Band ≈ $540–$2,140.
Notes
Two-tier context: residents with a work/residence basis are covered by mandatory public insurance (SGK); on top, Turks commonly buy complementary insurance (~5,000–20,000 TRY/yr) working with SGK at private hospitals, or full standalone private cover (this figure). The cheap mandatory foreigner residence-permit policy (~$32–130/yr) is minimal cover, not comparable. Private cover is cheap in USD because of the weak lira; TRY premiums rise 50–80%/yr, so this is a volatile curated midpoint.

Money & crypto

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Crypto regulationLegal regulated8.0Legal regulated8.0

What this measures

Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.

Rated by category· re-verified every 180 days

Bulgaria

EU MiCA (supervised in Bulgaria by the FSC) + Bulgarian Personal Income Tax Act (ЗДДФЛ) administered by НАП

Official source

Data as of
Jul 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Crypto is legal. Individual gains from crypto disposals are taxed as investment income at the 10% flat rate (a 10% deemed-cost deduction makes the effective rate ~9%), declared on Annex 5 of the annual return. MiCA is fully in force EU-wide; crypto-asset service providers must be licensed by the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), transitional-regime deadline 1 July 2026. Supervisor FSC (fsc.bg); tax authority НАП (nap.bg).

Türkiye

Capital Markets Board of Türkiye (SPK/CMB) — Law No. 7518 licensing of crypto-asset service providers; CBRT 2021 crypto-payment ban

Official source

Data as of
Jul 2, 2024
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Trading, holding and exchanging crypto are legal and very popular, but PAYING with crypto is BANNED (CBRT regulation in force 30 April 2021). Law No. 7518 (in force from 2 July 2024) put crypto-asset service providers under the Capital Markets Board (SPK): mandatory licensing, custody duties and minimum capital; offshore platforms targeting residents and crypto ATMs had to wind down. Classified 'legal-regulated' — trading legal and now formally supervised, payments prohibited.
Financial control levelLow10.0Moderate7.0

What this measures

Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

Bulgarian Law on Limitation of Cash Payments (ЗОПБ) + EU free movement of capital; euro adoption 1 Jan 2026

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Composite: Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026 (fixed 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN); EU member with full free movement of capital, no capital controls or currency-conversion limits. The only notable restriction is a domestic cash-payment ceiling (Law on Limitation of Cash Payments): payments at/above ~€5,113 (BGN 10,000) must be non-cash — a routine AML measure. The EU-wide €10,000 cash cap applies from 2027. No limits on holding foreign currency or cross-border transfers → 'low'.

Türkiye

Revenue Administration (GİB) — cash-payment documentation (tevsik) limit; CBRT crypto-payment ban

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Composite: the lira is freely convertible and residents may hold foreign-currency deposits/accounts and move money abroad — no hard individual capital controls. But the state exerts more control than EU peers: payments above 30,000 TRY (~$640) must be routed through banks/cards (tevsik rule); crypto payments are banned; the authorities intervene actively in the FX market and use reserve/macroprudential measures; and import de-minimis is low with high duties. Freely convertible but with a low cash-through-bank threshold and several controls → 'moderate' (stricter end).
Notes
High inflation erodes money in practice but is not a legal control. Day-to-day banking, FX purchase and transfers are unrestricted for an individual; the frictions are the low cash-routing threshold, the crypto-payment ban and occasional FX intervention.

Infrastructure

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
Domestic delivery qualityExcellent10.0Good7.0

What this measures

Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Bulgaria

Econt and Speedy — Bulgaria's dominant courier networks

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Econt and Speedy form a dense duopoly with nationwide office + automated-locker networks and next-day domestic delivery; cash-on-delivery ('наложен платеж') is the default e-commerce payment method. Fast, cheap, reliable → excellent.

Türkiye

Turkish carrier ecosystem — PTT + Yurtiçi/Aras/MNG/Sürat/Sendeo/HepsiJET/Trendyol Express

Curated by SettleMetric

Data as of
Jul 15, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Dense, competitive domestic courier market on the back of a huge e-commerce sector (Trendyol, Hepsiburada): PTT Kargo plus Yurtiçi, Aras, MNG, Sürat, Sendeo, HepsiJET and Trendyol Express give nationwide next-day/2-day coverage; same/next-day is normal in the big metros. Cash-on-delivery ('kapıda ödeme') is ubiquitous. Parcel-locker density is growing but below the locker-saturated benchmark, so rated 'good' rather than 'excellent'.
International delivery easeMinor friction7.0Significant friction4.0

What this measures

Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.

Rated by category· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

European Commission — removal of the €150 duty-free import threshold (EU-wide, from 1 July 2026)

Official source

Data as of
Jul 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market/customs union). From 1 July 2026 the EU removes the €150 duty-free threshold for non-EU imports (a transitional flat per-item customs duty applies; VAT already collected since 2021). Minor friction on non-EU inbound parcels — the same EU regime as other member states.

Türkiye

Türkiye Ministry of Trade — Presidential Decree lowering the import de-minimis and raising duty on personal parcels (Official Gazette, 6 Aug 2024; Dec 2024 amendment)

Official source

Data as of
Jan 1, 2026
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Cross-border inbound shipping faces heavy friction. The duty-free de-minimis was cut from €150 to €30 (in force 21 Aug 2024) and effectively ~€27 with shipping (Dec 2024); parcels are hit with a single flat customs charge of 30% of value for EU-origin goods and 60% for non-EU (plus special consumption tax where relevant). Non-EU customs clearance plus these high duties make ordering from abroad slow and expensive → 'significant-friction'. Domestic and outbound are unaffected.
Internet speedMbps, median fixed download42.84.112.10.3

What this measures

Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.

Higher is better· Mbps, median fixed download· re-verified every 365 days

Bulgaria

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Bulgaria

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for BG in 2023 = 42.85 Mbps (139,790 download tests). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and understates real line speeds — Bulgaria has very fast, cheap fibre (commonly 100–1000 Mbps advertised) — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
Bulgaria is known for fast, inexpensive fixed broadband; the M-Lab single-stream median is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.

Türkiye

M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Türkiye (Asia grouping)

Open data

Data as of
Dec 31, 2023
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Method
Median of the 343 daily country-median download values for TR in 2023 = 12.09 Mbps (402,083 download tests; Türkiye is filed under M-Lab's Asia (AS) continent grouping, not EU). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below marketed figures — Turkish fibre commonly markets 100–1000 Mbps — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
Notes
The single-stream M-Lab median is low (and the lowest in the set) but reflects a consistent cross-country method, not real fibre-line speeds; Turkish fixed broadband is much faster in practice.

Language

CriterionBulgariaTürkiye
English proficiencyHigh7.0Low2.0

What this measures

Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.

Rated by category· re-verified every 730 days

Bulgaria

EF EPI 2025 — Bulgaria (score 594, rank 18/123, High band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 14, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Bulgaria ranks #18 of 123, score 594 (global average 488), 'High Proficiency' band. English is broadly workable in Sofia's tech and service sectors and among younger Bulgarians; Bulgarian (Cyrillic) remains essential for administration and daily life outside the capital.

Türkiye

EF EPI 2025 — Türkiye (rank 71/123, score 488, Low band)

Research

Data as of
Nov 1, 2025
Verified
Jul 15, 2026
Notes
Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Türkiye rank 71/123, score 488 (Low band, cutoff 450–499), a 9-point decline from the prior edition. English is workable in Istanbul/tourism and parts of the tech sector but thin in public offices and smaller cities; Turkish is the sole official language. The lowest English band in the set.

Deep dives: taxes in Bulgaria ·taxes in Türkiye ·net-income calculator