The official data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) for May 2026 show a complete lull in monthly inflation, which is anchored at 0.0%, but on an annual basis the increase in the cost of living in Bulgaria reaches a serious 6.9%.
Despite the statistical freeze of the general index compared to April, the pocket of the Bulgarian consumer is seriously hit by a number of basic goods and administrative services. Inflation since the beginning of the year already amounts to 3.8%, and the average annual increase for the last 12 months is anchored at 5.0%.
In May 2026, compared to the previous month, state statistics reported a serious growth in several key areas. The most noticeable increase is in services in restaurants and hotels, which have risen in price by 0.9%, as well as in alcoholic beverages and tobacco products (also by 0.9%).
Transportation has recorded a growth of 0.8%, and the information and communications sector has risen by 0.7%. Healthcare also added 0.5% to its value. At the other extreme are entertainment, sports and culture, where a decline of 2.0% was observed, as well as food products, which marked a symbolic average decrease in price by 0.4%.
Despite the general calm in the market, a detailed review of the consumer basket reveals startling figures for the mass buyer. A real price shock is observed in potatoes, the price of which has jumped by an impressive 25.5% in just one month. Citrus fruits have risen in price by 12.7%, apples — by 8.7%, and carrots and beetroot — by 8.1%. On the other hand, there was a seasonal decrease in the price of pepper (by 23.2%) and tomatoes (by 11.1%).
In non-food goods and services, the most drastic increase was in the fees for issuing personal documents, which increased by as much as 22.3%. Courier services increased in price by 4.9%, and mass gasoline A95H and central gas supply recorded an increase of 3.1% each. A direct decrease is reported for package holidays in the country (by 2.9%) and airline tickets for international flights (by 1.1%).
According to the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), which is the official measure for maintaining the criteria in the euro area, monthly inflation in Bulgaria for May 2026 is actually 0.3%, and the annual one amounts to 6.3%.
For the poorest 20% of Bulgarian households, the small basket index shows a slight monthly relief of minus 0.5%, driven mainly by the drop in food prices by 0.8%. However, the accumulated inflation for the last five years remains alarming — prices in our country have jumped by as much as 44.3% compared to May 2021.