Trade Unions: Cost of living for a family of three in Bulgaria is BGN 2,524 per month

The net monthly income needed for a person living alone and working is BGN 1,402, according to data of Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) for June 2023.

BGN 2,524 is needed for a family of two working adults and a child under the age of 14.

The income needed to cover minimum living costs increases by 0.6% on a quarterly basis and by 10.6% on an annual basis.

BGN 242 more is needed for a family with two working parents and a child under 14 to support themselves. CITUB figures show that it means BGN 2,524 a month net.

For a working person, living alone, the monthly income needed to support life is BGN 1,402 or by BGN 134 more than in June last year.

More than two-thirds of the working people earn less than the size of the net monthly income needed to cover living costs.

The year-on-year growth in the necessary income is 10.6%. Prices of food products rose by 15.3% and non-food items by 7.8%. The small consumer basket of 20 essential products is now by 20 BGN more expensive and it costs nearly 110 BGN to buy these products.

The trade unions have also calculated that there is a serious increase in the price of meat and meat products, sugar and fruit for the past three months. CITUB is demanding a 10% increase in wages and a minimum wage of BGN 850.

"Despite the fact that inflation is calming down and even decreasing on a monthly basis, the annual rate of 8.3% in June 2023 - our cost of living is not calming down so quickly," said CITUB President, Plamen Dimitrov, at a press conference on July 18.

"Everyone on the minimum wage is working poor because they cannot cover their living expenses with their monthly wage. The recommendation of the directive is that the living wage should be equal to the minimum wage," said Violeta Ivanova, deputy director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies of CITUB.

"The small basket is growing twice as fast as the necessary means of subsistence. Nearly two-thirds of workers receive an income or salary below the size necessary for their subsistence, and 41% of them receive less than BGN 1,000," said Plamen Dimitrov - President of CITUB.