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Costs, money and banks
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Bulgaria always was a relatively cheap country for tourists and, despite the shift to a market economy, most of life's essentials cost considerably less here than they do in the West. The outlook is less bright for Bulgarians themselves, whose living standards have been eroded by inflation, and who count themselves lucky if they earn US$50 a week.
While visitors to big cities or package resorts could probably subsist on a mixture of
bank cards
and
travellers' cheques
, anyone planning to travel around the country - especially in rural areas - will need to carry the bulk of their funds in
cash
(preferably US dollars and/or Deutschmarks, in a mixture of high and low denominations). To minimize the security risk, always carry your funds in a discreet moneybelt worn
under
your clothing. Visitors to Bulgaria must
declare
foreign currency in excess of US$1000 on arrival and departure. Failure to do so will result in a fine, confiscation and possible prosecution. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Bulgaria |