The Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions (CITUB) reports that the monthly income required for a worker in Bulgaria is 1,474 leva, while the cost of living for a family of three reaches 2,653 leva. Compared to the previous quarter, this represents an increase of 1.4%, with a year-on-year rise of 2.5%. For essential food expenses, the minimum net amount required per person as of December is 586 leva.

Bulgaria remains significantly behind other EU countries in terms of purchasing power. A Bulgarian worker can afford basic groceries and gasoline 7.9 times per month, far fewer than in neighboring Romania, where the same figure is 16.7 times.

The withdrawal of the already submitted budget from the National Assembly has been criticized by CITUB as a negative development. This move, they say, delays the budgetary process and prolongs the period of expenditure restrictions, exacerbating the financial struggles of many citizens.

CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov highlighted the deepening poverty among the most vulnerable, noting that over half of those reliant on the minimum income basket cannot meet subsistence levels. Chief Economist Lyuboslav Kostov pointed out that some basic goods in Bulgaria are disproportionately expensive. For example, the price of cow’s cheese exceeds €10 per kilogram—making it the most expensive in Europe after Germany. Bulgaria also ranks highest in the price of cucumbers and cooking oil per liter compared to other countries in the region.

Source: BNT