Bulgaria: Growing Cost of Living Makes People Pinch on Education, Healthcare

According to the recent statistical data, BGN 2,542 is the monthly cost of living of a 4-member household with two adults and two children, or BGN 635 per person, shows the new report of the Institute for Social and Trade Union Studies with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB).

The overall rise in the cost of living is about BGN 25 since the beginning of the year, as the main reason for the upward trend are the growing prices of food commodities, said for BNR CITUB expert Violeta Ivanova. The prices of staples which Bulgarian traditionally have on their tables and costs of services and utility expenses in the consumer basket have been growing steadily. For a household with limited consumption, especially in time of pandemic, the higher price of essentials means that they have to make budget cuts for other items which are usually the education, healthcare, cloths and furnishing,” the expert told the National Radio.   

 Since 2008, net wages have actually doubled, while the cost of living has increased by a third, 265 000 jobs were saved owing to 60/40 and 80/20 payroll support measures, as unemployment in Bulgaria is below average European levels. The preservation of these jobs is an extremely important achievement and must be repeated, as well as the measures to continue, CITUB experts say.

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