Head-to-head · tax residents 2026
Croatia or Bulgaria: which should you move to?
Two of Europe's top relocation targets, both with newcomer regimes. Here is how they compare on the taxes that move the needle.
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| Factor |  Croatia ↗ |  Bulgaria ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| Top personal income tax | 33% | 10% |
| Corporate tax | 18%* | 10%* |
| Capital gains tax | Taxed | Taxed |
| Dividend tax | 12% | 5% |
| VAT / sales tax | 25% | 20% |
| Wealth tax | No | No |
| Inheritance tax | Yes | Yes |
| Foreign income | Worldwide | Partly exempt |
| Headline expat regime | Digital nomad exemption (foreign income) | 10% Flat Personal Income Tax |
| Cost of living (vs your country) | 53 | 23 |
| Population | 3,876,200 | 6,433,302 |
| Area | 56,542 km² | 110,910 km² |
| Population density | 69/km² | 58/km² |
| Airports (large + medium) | 9 | 9 |
| Annual tourists | 15,324,000 | 5,557,000 |
| Flight time from your country | · | · |
| Direct flight likely? | · | · |
| Life expectancy | 78.8 yrs | 75.8 yrs |
| Safety (homicides/100k) | 0.7 | 1.1 |
| Happiness (0-10) | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| Corruption index (higher = cleaner) | 47/100 | 44/100 |
| Double-tax treaties (approx) | ~66 | ~70 |
| Internet speed (median fixed) | 137 Mbps | 94 Mbps |
| Healthcare spend / person | $1,548 | $1,258 |
| Air quality (PM2.5, lower=better) | 15.78 | 19.68 |
| Time zone (approx) | UTC+1 | UTC+2 |
| Digital nomad visa | Yes | · |
| Official languages | 1 (Croatian) | 1 (Bulgarian) |
Green = more favourable. Cost of living shown as a percentage of your home country (under 100% = cheaper than home). Tax data: compiled by us, being re-verified; cost of living: World Bank PPP; area & population: GeoNames; life expectancy & homicide rate: World Bank.
* Croatia: 18% standard; 10% for income up to EUR 1,000,000. Default income tax rates are 20%/30%, but each municipality chooses within a range of 15 to 23% on the low band and 25 to 33% on the high band, with Zagreb going up to 23%/33%. · Bulgaria: Flat 10% CIT on worldwide income of residents; lowest headline rate in the EU. EU Pillar Two (15% minimum) applies to in-scope large groups from 2024/2025.
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