Eurostat data reveal that Bulgarians are the least satisfied in the EU with their personal financial situation. While citizens in the Netherlands and Finland report the highest satisfaction levels, averaging 7.6 out of 10, Bulgarians, along with Greeks and Croatians, remain at the bottom. Overall, EU residents rate their financial situation at 6.6 points on average, slightly below the general life satisfaction score of 7.1. In Bulgaria, the average self-assessed satisfaction with income is just 4.6, compared to 5.3 in Greece, 5.7 in Croatia, and 5.8 in Slovakia. Sweden and Austria also report high financial satisfaction, at 7.4 and 7.3 points respectively.

Interestingly, the Eurostat statistics also highlight work patterns across the EU. Bulgarians are among the least likely to work long hours. In 2024, only 0.4% of employed Bulgarians aged 20-64 worked more than the standard 40-hour week, defined as 49 hours or more. This is far below the EU average and places Bulgaria at the bottom alongside Latvia (1%) and Lithuania (1.4%). The highest shares of long-hour workers are in Greece (12.4%), Cyprus (10%), and France (9.9%).

The data indicate a steady decrease in extended working hours across the EU over the past decade: from 9.8% in 2014 to 8.4% in 2019, down to 6.6% in 2024. While Bulgarians report low engagement in overtime work, they remain the most dissatisfied financially, suggesting that limited working hours do not necessarily translate into higher perceived income satisfaction. The contrast between financial discontent and minimal overtime highlights structural and economic factors that continue to challenge Bulgarian households.