Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Almost 60% of workers in Bulgaria earn wages below the subsistence minimum

Photo: BGNES

The necessary net monthly income for subsistence for a worker living alone in September 2025 is 1,547 leva (748 euros). For a three-member family with a child under 14, 2,785 leva (1,346 euros) are needed. This was announced by Violeta Ivanova, deputy director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research at the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions (CITUB). The necessary income for subsistence is increasing by 1.4% per quarter and by 6.4% on an annual basis. 

Over 59.6% of workers in Bulgaria are provided with wages below the necessary monthly income for subsistence.

Bulgaria continues to have the lowest minimum wage in the EU, Ivanova said.

According to the draft state budget for 2026, the minimum wage will be 605 euros instead of the previously calculated 620 euros, said Luboslav Kostov, chief economist of the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions. This is 180 euros per year less income for all people working for the minimum wage, who are among the poorest in the country.


Edited by Ivo Ivanov
English publication: R. Petkova



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bozhidar Bozhanov

Bozhidar Bozhanov: Mariya Gabriel allegedly tried to have sanctions lifted for Peevski and other individuals

Mariya Gabriel from GERB allegedly tried to have sanctions lifted for Delyan Peevski and other individuals. This took place while she was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nikolay Denkov’s government, said in Parliament Bozhidar..

published on 10/29/25 6:45 PM
New speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament Raya Nazaryan (GERB)

Raya Nazaryan from GERB is the new Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament

The ruling parties GERB-SDS, BSP-United Left and ITN signed an annex to their coalition agreement, specifying the rules for the rotation of the Speaker of Parliament. The new mechanism provides for each of the three political formations to nominate its..

published on 10/29/25 4:14 PM

41.5% of Bulgarians expect their personal finances to deteriorate in 2026

More and more Bulgarians fear about the future security of their finances . This is shown by a survey by the sociological agency "Measure", conducted between October 5 and 13, 2025 among 801 adult Bulgarian citizens.  Almost 60% of workers in..

published on 10/29/25 3:23 PM