€1,516 is needed per month to support a family of three in Bulgaria, according to CITUB data for the past three months. The calculation includes two working adults and one child under the age of 14. A single worker living alone needs €842 per month.
The required family income has increased by 6.4% over the year. Compared with the previous period, the amount for a single person has risen by €51, while for a family of three it has increased by €92. Compared with 2024, the increase amounts to €178.
Food requires €333 per month
CITUB also reports a 5.3% year-on-year increase in the prices of food and non-food goods. A family of three needs €333 per month for food alone.
Violeta Ivanova, Deputy Director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies and Training at CITUB, points out that “the increase in Bulgaria differs significantly from that in EU countries”.
Diesel prices rise by 55% in Bulgaria
Among the examples cited by the trade union are cereals, including bread. Their prices have increased by 1.5% in Bulgaria, compared with an average increase of 0.4% in the European Union.
The biggest difference is in fuel prices. The increase recorded for diesel in Bulgaria is 55%, while the European Union average is 40%. For petrol, the increase in Bulgaria is nearly 34%, compared with 27.3% in the EU.
The data point to a higher amount needed to cover households’ basic expenses, while rising prices continue to affect food, transport and other goods for everyday consumption.