62% of Bulgarian workers earn less than the living wage

A working individual living in a one-person household needs a net monthly income of 1,521 BNG (EUR 747) to cover basic needs. A three-member household needs 2,738 BGN (EUR 1,344). The income needed to cover minimum living costs increases by 3.3% on a quarterly basis and by 4.6% on an annual basis, announced Plamen Dimitrov, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, at a press conference where data on consumer prices and the living wage were presented.

A single working person needs a gross salary of BGN 1,960 (EUR 962). Data from February 2025 shows that 1,598,000 employed individuals, or 62% of all employees, earn less than the living wage. The average insurable income for full-time employees has increased by 7.8% year-on-year.