National Statistical Institute

In Bulgaria, a stark reality persists: women continue to face significant disparities in earnings compared to their male counterparts, with the latest data from the National Statistical Institute revealing a troubling trend.

At the end of 2023, household expenses increased by 19.1%, with the majority spent on food - approximately one-third of all expenditures. This is indicated by the data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Household incomes

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) has unveiled the latest inflation data for January 2024, shedding light on notable shifts in consumer prices across various sectors.

According to the express estimates of the National Statistical Institute, during the fourth quarter of 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 1.6% compared to the same period of the previous year and by 0.5% compared to the third quarter of 2023, based on seasonally adjusted data.

In December 2023, there were 2,229 establishments in the country, such as hotels, motels, campgrounds, mountain huts, and other short-term accommodation options. They had a total of 63.6 thousand rooms and 132.0 thousand beds. Compared to the same month of the previous year, the number of such establishments increased by 0.2%, while the number of beds in them increased by 3.0%.

To meet the criteria for entering the Eurozone, Bulgaria is gearing up for a significant shift in its economic landscape, with prices expected to witness a downward trend in the coming months, OFFNews reports.

Bulgaria witnesses a notable improvement in its overall business climate indicator, surging by 3 percentage points from December 2023 to January 2024. The National Statistical Institute (NSI) revealed that this uptick spans across all key sectors—industry, construction, retail trade, and services.

In December 2023, travel to and from Bulgaria increased compared to the same month in the previous year, according to data from the National Statistical Institute. The number trips of Bulgarians abroad for this month has reached 649.1 thousand, increasing by 7.3% compared to December 2022.

In a recent revelation, the National Statistical Institute disclosed that the average monthly pension disbursed in Bulgaria for January 2023 hovers around EUR 383. Delving deeper into the data, it showcases a disparity between genders, with women receiving an average of EUR 333, while their male counterparts receive EUR 457.

In December 2023, Bulgaria continued its trend of a single-digit annual inflation rate for the seventh consecutive month, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI). The report reveals a 0.3% monthly inflation rate, contributing to an annual inflation rate of 4.7% compared to December 2022.