Average wage in Bulgaria in September rises to over BGN 2,000 per month, national statistics

For the first time, the average gross wage in Bulgaria is higher than BGN 2,000, National Statistical Institute (NSI) data show.

For September 2023, the average gross monthly wage for full time employee is BGN 2,072. The average gross monthly wage for July 2023 is BGN 1,973, for August - BGN 1,957.

In total, for the third quarter of 2023. The National Statistical Institute reports the average monthly wage at BGN 2,000. The amount increased compared to the second quarter of 2023 by 2.2%.

The economic activities that registered the largest increase are "Public administration "1 - by 13.4%, "Education "1 - by 12.2%, and "Agriculture, forestry and fishing" - by 7.5%.

The number of persons employed under contracts of employment and civil service contracts at the end of September 2023 decreased by 34.1 thousand, or by 1.5%, compared to the end of June 2023, reaching 2.30 million according to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute.

Compared to the second quarter of 2023, the largest decrease in the number of employed persons is observed in the economic activities "Hotels and restaurants" - by 15.8%, in "Administrative and support activities" - by 2.7%, and "Manufacturing" - by 1.4%.

The largest increase in the number of persons employed under contcats of employment and civil service contract by 1.1% was registered in the activity "Human health and social work".

The largest relative share of employees under employment and civil service relations was in the economic activities "Manufacturing" and "Trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles" - 19.9 and 16.7%, respectively.

Compared to the end of September 2022, the number of persons employed under labour and employment relationship increased by 22.1 thousand or by 1.0%.

The largest increase in employees is observed in the economic activities "Human health and social work" - by 17.4 thousand, "Hotels and restaurants" - by 6.8 thousand, and "Creation and distribution of information and creative products; telecommunications" - by 4.0 thousand, while the largest decrease is observed in "Manufacturing" - by 9.0 thousand, and in "Administrative and support activities" - by 8.2 thousand.

In percentage terms, the increase was most significant in the economic activities "Human health and social work" - by 10.4%, "Hotels and restaurants" - by 7.2%, and in "Creation and distribution of information and creative products; telecommunications" - by 3.4%, while the largest decrease was registered in "Administrative and support activities" - by 6.7%, and "Mining and quarrying" - by 2.1%.