How much money is needed for monthly living expenses in Bulgaria

The required monthly income for a three-member household in Bulgaria - two adults and one child under 14 - has reached €1,473, according to data released by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) for the first quarter of 2026. The figures were presented at a press conference.

For a single working adult living alone, the necessary monthly income stands at €818. The cost of living has increased by 2.3% on a quarterly basis and 5.2% year-on-year. Over the past year, the required income for a three-member household has risen by €73, while a single worker now needs €40 more, said CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov.

More than half of employed individuals - 58.3% - are insured on an income lower than the calculated living wage, the union reported. However, CITUB highlighted a positive trend: the total number of people in this group has declined compared to the previous year, which the organization attributes to overall income growth over the past 12 months.

By the end of 2025, Bulgaria had reached 68% of the average European income level, according to the union. Workers insured at the level of the minimum wage while working full-time account for 12.2% of all full-time employees - roughly one in eight people.

Food prices continue to rise annually, increasing by 6.2%, CITUB said. A single worker now needs €329 per month for food and dining. On a quarterly basis, the sharpest increases were recorded in vegetables, fruits, bread, meat, and eggs, as well as coffee. Price hikes have also been observed in fuel, healthcare, and non-food goods.

Despite the pressures, Dimitrov noted a positive development: a growing number of workers are now insured on incomes above the subsistence level. However, the union’s chief economist offered a stark comparison, saying, “Prices have taken the elevator, while wages are climbing the stairs.”

CITUB representative Violeta Ivanova added that key factors behind the rising cost of living include electricity, natural gas, and oil prices.