The cold was biting, but in people's souls, there seemed to be an even greater chill: that of the bills that never ended. The question hung in the air: how much money is exactly needed to survive in today's Bulgaria? The answer, according to the latest data, is sobering.
KNSB's Assessment: The Minimum for Survival
The KNSB union came out with specific figures for the required monthly wage of workers. To cover basic needs, a person needs to have at least 799 euros (1562 leva). However, this amount is significantly above the minimum wage for the year, which is only 620.20 euros. What does this mean in practice?
The data presented by KNSB refer to the fourth quarter of 2025. They reflect the so-called "subsistence wage" - the amount needed to cover basic expenses. The truth is that bills are rising, and salaries are not always.
The Family and Its Needs
For a family of three (two adults and one child under 14 years old), the required amount is much higher: 1438 euros (2812 leva). KNSB President Plamen Dimitrov pointed out that this amount has increased by 1% on a quarterly basis and by 6% annually. For comparison, in 2025, a three-member household needed 159 leva more than in 2024. Even more alarming is that prices continue to rise.
Rising Prices and Their Consequences
Deputy Director of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies and Training Violeta Ivanova noted that in the last quarter of 2025, food prices increased by 1.3%. Non-food goods and services have seen an increase of 0.7%. Housing is also becoming drastically more expensive – rents have increased by a double-digit percentage (12.1%) annually. In addition, there is also an increase in prices in other sectors such as healthcare, education and leisure, as well as for electricity and heating.
The Reality of the Labor Market
As of November 2025, a decrease has been reported in the proportion of people who receive income below the subsistence wage, Ivanova noted. This is good news, but is it enough? Unfortunately, more than half of the workers (57.5%) are still insured at a lower income than needed for survival. This raises serious questions about the sustainability of their financial situation.
About 256,000 employees, who are insured at the minimum wage, work full time. These people represent 46% of all insured at the minimum wage, which means that one in every eight full-time workers receives a salary at the minimum. How can these people cope with constantly rising expenses?
Bulgaria in a European Context
KNSB emphasizes that the increase in food prices in Bulgaria remains among the highest in the European Union. At the same time, the payment in our country is among the lowest. This combination leads to serious problems. For food and public catering, a working person needs 627 leva (321 euros). Isn't it absurd that salaries cannot keep up with prices?
What's next?
The union insists on an increase in wages in the private sector by a minimum of 10%, which would compensate for the increase in the subsistence wage over the last year. In addition, KNSB calls for the urgent adoption of a regular budget for the year, which would guarantee a 10% increase in personnel costs. But will these measures be enough? Will they be able to protect the standard of living of the people?
What will happen to those who barely make ends meet? How will the ordinary person cope when prices rise and salaries stay almost the same? The answers to these questions are key to the future.