In 2024, price levels for household final consumption expenditure differed widely across the 27 EU Member States. The highest price levels for household consumption were recorded in Denmark (143% of the EU average), Ireland (138%) and Luxembourg (133%). Meanwhile, the lowest levels were recorded in Bulgaria (60% of the EU average), Romania (64%) and Poland (72%), according to the provisional estimates for 2024.
In 2024, actual individual consumption (AIC) per capita expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS) varied from 72% to 141% of the EU average across the 27 EU countries. In Bulgaria, the level was 26% below the EU average, according to the provisional estimates for 2024.
GDP per capita ranged from 66% to 242% of EU average. In 2024, GDP per capita in Bulgaria was 66% of the average for the EU-27.
The number of health establishments for hospital aid at the end of 2024 was 341 with 56 061 beds.
On a basic contract in the health establishments in the country practiced 30 149 physicians and 7 784 dentists.
In May 2025, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.0% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in May 2025, compared to May 2024, was 3.7%.
In May 2025, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Restaurants and hotels’ (0.8%), ‘Miscellaneous goods and services’ (0.6%), ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (0.6%) and ‘Clothing and footwear’ (0.5%). A decrease in the prices was recorded in the following groups: ‘Transport’ (-1.8%), ‘Communications’ (-1.0), ‘Recreation and culture’ (-0.9%) and ‘Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ (-0.3%).
The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.1% and the annual inflation rate was 2.9%.
At the end of the first quarter of 2025, the number of employees under labour contract (according to the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on short-term business statistics on employment) in the non-financial enterprises was 1.6 million, or 0.8% higher than at the end of the first quarter of 2024.
In Industry (incl. Mining and quarrying; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; Water collection, treatment and supply) the number of employees was 506.2 thousand, decreasing with 2.8% compared to the first quarter of 2024.
The number of employees in the Services of the business economy (except trade and financial and insurance activities) was 562.3 thousand, increasing with 2.5% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes data about the number of employees under labour contract in the non-financial enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 with additional disaggregations by economic activities.
Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.
At the end of March 2025, the number of employees under labour contract and contract according to the Civil Servants Act reached 98.5 thousand. The employees in the Central administration were 56.1 thousand (56.9%) and in the Territorial administration - 42.4 thousand (43.1%).
Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.
In the period January - March 2025, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 1.3% compared to the same period of 2024 and amounted to 12 749.0 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU increased by 0.7% and reached 13 898.5 million BGN.
In March 2025, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 3.2% compared to the same month of 2024 and amounted to 4 432.6 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 6.5% and reached 4 948.1 million BGN.
The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same period of 2024 was recorded in the section ‘Food and live animals’ (32.2%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (37.8%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (42.6%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (19.2%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.
In the period January - April 2025, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 5.7% compared to the same period of 2024 and amounted to 9 541.1 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 13.8% and added up to 14 416.7 million BGN.
The most notable fall in the exports was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (55.3%). The most notable growth was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (65.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (40.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (32.2%). The data are according to the Standard International Trade Classification.
The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 26 498.4 million BGN in the period January - April 2025, which is 4.8% less than in the corresponding period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 33 108.5 million BGN and increased by 4.8%.
In April 2025, 2 362 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation, with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country, with 73.4 thousand rooms and 155.7 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number of accommodation establishments increased by 4.2%, and the bed-places in them - by 8.4%.
The total number of nights spent was 1 075.4 thousand, or 6.2% more in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 5.4% and reached 507.8 thousand.
The total revenues from nights spent reached 100.6 million BGN, or 17.5% more compared to the same month of the previous year.
The Industrial Production Index increased by 0.8% in April 2025 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.
In April 2025, compared to March 2025, a rise was seen in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 54.0%, while a decrease was registered in the manufacturing - by 1.8%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 1.6%.
In comparison with April 2024, a decrease of 10.4% was reported in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.
On an annual basis, a drop of the Industrial Production Index was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 18.7%, in the manufacturing - by 7.0%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 3.9%.
