Travel safety comparison · Europe
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia: safety comparison
vs
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Bulgaria and North Macedonia have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 25 and 25. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in crime, where North Macedonia scores 1/5 against Bulgaria's 2/5. Drug law diverges sharply: Bulgaria carries a tier-severe regime against North Macedonia's more permissive framework.
| 🇧🇬Bulgaria | 🇲🇰North Macedonia | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 25 / 100 | 25 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Normal Caution | Exercise Normal Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #29 | #51 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Strict |
| Women's safety rating | Generally Safe | Generally Safe |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | hostile | hostile |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | BGN | MKD |
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia: common questions
Is Bulgaria or North Macedonia safer to visit?
Bulgaria has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 25/100 vs 25/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Bulgaria or North Macedonia safer for solo female travellers?
Bulgaria is rated Generally Safe for women's safety; North Macedonia is rated Generally Safe. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Bulgaria and North Macedonia?
Bulgaria: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). North Macedonia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).