In the quiet village of Lozen near Veliko Tarnovo, a growing community of German pensioners has found refuge from financial hardship, making Bulgaria their unexpected sanctuary. According to a detailed report by Stern magazine, quoted by DW, this village has become a new home for many elderly Germans whose pensions no longer stretch enough to cover basic living costs in their homeland.

Germany is witnessing a worrying rise in elderly poverty. Data from the Federal Statistical Office reveals that in 2024, about 3.5 million Germans over 65 are at risk of poverty - a figure that has grown by 300,000. Many seniors rely increasingly on state aid as their pensions fail to meet everyday expenses. This bleak reality has pushed numerous pensioners to seek more affordable living conditions abroad, with Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Hungary, Poland, and Thailand among the popular destinations. Bulgaria, despite being the EU’s poorest country, attracts retirees due to its significantly lower cost of living.

Heinz, 68, and Christa, 71, originally from Wuppertal in North Rhine-Westphalia, are among those who chose Bulgaria. Each receives around 1,000 euros monthly, which barely covers necessities in Germany. Their curiosity about Bulgaria was sparked after watching a TV report on elderly Germans thriving in the country. Researching online and visiting in person, they concluded they could maintain a comfortable lifestyle there without severe restrictions, leading them to relocate earlier this year.

Lozen itself paints a rustic picture: nestled among green hills and dusty fields, it’s a sleepy village with many abandoned and dilapidated houses, limited shops, and poorly maintained roads. Access to medical care or larger supermarkets requires traveling several kilometers. For many, the village fits the stereotypical image of rural Eastern Europe.

The village’s transformation into a haven for German pensioners is credited to Yordan Milanov, a veterinarian who returned from Germany in 2022. Unable to practice his profession there due to unrecognized credentials, he started renovating abandoned homes in Lozen, turning them into affordable rentals for retirees. Milanov advertises the initiative with the slogan “Live cheaply, enjoy life and save money!” To date, ten houses have been renovated, housing 19 residents, with more projects underway.

These homes are simple but functional, featuring a living room with a kitchenette, a small bedroom, a bathroom, and a garden. Monthly rent ranges from 490 to 640 euros plus utilities. Milanov’s role extends beyond landlord; he assists his German tenants with bureaucracy and language barriers, easing their transition.

For residents like Christa and Heinz, Bulgaria offers a much better quality of life on their modest pensions. Expenses for insurance, food, fuel, and cigarettes are roughly half of what they would pay in Germany. Christa jokes that only butter and coffee are considered luxuries, while Heinz appreciates the opportunity to spend his retirement among like-minded people without financial strain.

Another resident, Nelly (a pseudonym), also moved to Lozen attracted by the lower cost of living. After years working in elderly care in Germany, she took early retirement due to burnout, surviving on a pension of nearly 1,000 euros plus a small state housing allowance. Yet after covering essentials, she was left with only 170 euros monthly. She admits she felt desperate and close to destitution, saying she would have ended up homeless with her dogs if she stayed. Her discovery of Milanov’s project online and subsequent trial visit to Lozen led her to settle there permanently. Beyond finances, Nelly found in Lozen the social connection and warmth missing in her life back home, lamenting the loneliness and coldness of German society.

Living simply in Bulgaria has given Nelly a renewed sense of grounding and reality. She no longer wishes to return to Germany, feeling her chapter there has closed. Christa and Heinz also express little nostalgia for Germany, though they miss the familiar dark rye bread occasionally.

The report highlights a deep sense of disappointment, helplessness, and frustration among these German retirees with their former country, contrasting sharply with their newfound happiness and community in Bulgaria. They have built new friendships and embraced a fresh social life, finding solace and stability in Lozen’s quiet surroundings.