Bulgarian's Life Has Become 2.5% More Expensive since the Beginning of the Year

The consumer price index in October 2019 compared to September 2019 was 100.8%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.8%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (October 2019 compared to December 2018) has been 2.5% and the annual inflation in October 2019 compared to October 2018 was 2.4%. The annual average inflation, measured by CPI, in the last 12 months (November 2018 - October 2019) compared to the previous 12 months (November 2017 - October 2018) was 3.0%, NSI reported.

In October 2019 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:

- Food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.5%;

- Alcoholic beverages and tobacco - an increase of 0.5%;

- Clothing and footwear - an increase of 9.0%;

- Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels - an increase of 0.2%;

- Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - an increase of 0.3%

- Health - an increase of 0.4%;

- Transport - a decrease of 0.6%;

- Communications - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;

- Recreation and culture - an increase of 4.9%;

- Education - an increase of 0.2%;

- Restaurants and hotels - a decrease of 0.2%;

- Miscellaneous goods and service - an increase of 0.4%.

The harmonized index of consumer prices in October 2019 compared to September 2019 was 100.2%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.2%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (October 2019 compared to December 2018) has been 2.0% and the annual inflation in October 2019 compared to October 2018 was 1.6%. The annual average inflation, measured by HICP, in the last 12 months (November 2018 - October 2019) compared to the previous 12 months (November 2017 - October 2018) was 2.5%. In terms of HICP, in October 2019 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the main consumer groups changed as follows:

- Food and non-alcoholic beverages - an increase of 0.4%;

- Alcoholic beverages and tobacco - an increase of 0.5%;

- Clothing and footwear - an increase of 8.0%;

- Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels - an increase of 0.2%;

- Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house - an increase of 0.3%; 

- Health - an increase of 0.3%;

- Transport - a decrease of 1.9%;

- Communications - the prices remained at the level of the previous month;

- Recreation and culture - an increase of 2.5%;

- Education - an increase of 0.2%;

- Restaurants and hotels - a decrease of 2.2%;

- Miscellaneous goods and service - an increase of 0.4%.

The price index of a small basket in October 2019 compared to September 2019 was 100.7% and the overall increase since the beginning of the year (October 2019 compared to December 2018) has been 103.3% (Annex, Table 3). In October 2019 compared to the previous month the prices of goods and services in the small basket for the 20% households with the lowest income changed as follows:  Food products - an increase of 0.6%;  Non-food products - an increase of 1.4%;  Services - the prices remained at the level of the previous month.