Why are cars cheap in Bulgaria?

Foreigners buy cars both for use inside the country during their stay and for export abroad.

Insurance companies issue policies without much risk to themselves, since car thefts are practically non-existent because cars can be bought so cheaply.

The low prices are due to the absence of customs borders between EU countries, so cars from Europe are not subject to any customs duties, excise taxes or VAT… In addition, it is worth noting that prices in other European countries are still noticeably higher than in Bulgaria. This is because car dealers in Bulgaria buy cars from Europe in bulk and transport them in large quantities on car carriers, which substantially reduces transport costs.

A car you have bought can be used within Bulgaria or taken out of the country by completing a customs declaration and obtaining transit plates. Until some time ago many entrepreneurs from the former CIS countries made a business out of this, supplying cars to their countries, but at present customs duties and import requirements have been raised considerably in connection with programmes to stimulate domestic production in those countries, so profitability is low. Many people compensate for unsuccessful attempts to export cars by trading them in for newer, more modern models, which is quite common in Bulgaria. The value of the old car is credited towards a new one, which may not have just come off the assembly line, but its price can be two or three times lower than that of a brand-new car!

Large Bulgarian companies often buy batches of cars from official distributors at a big discount, and once the warranty period expires they trade the cars in for new models at further favourable prices and, accordingly, put together an attractive offer for their customers.

Buying a car in Bulgaria. Stages of the process.

Registering your own company in Bulgaria

Visas for tourists for up to 3 years

Residence in Bulgaria (long-term residence permit)

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