Majority of Bulgarians Feel Pay Raises Aren’t Keeping Up as Inflation Pressures Persist

A new nationally representative survey conducted by the "Myara" agency for the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CITUB) in Bulgaria shows that the overwhelming majority of Bulgarians feel their earnings are not keeping pace with living costs. The poll, carried out between October 30 and November 7 among 804 adults, found that over 86 percent view the wage increases they received this year as insufficient, while just over 11 percent say the rise they received was adequate.

More than half of those surveyed support an increase in the minimum wage. According to the data, 54.1 percent believe the statutory floor should go up, 18.9 percent oppose such a move, and 27 percent remain undecided. The results also show that support for a higher minimum wage is strong among employees in both the public and private sectors, as well as among unemployed respondents, while self-employed people and business owners are more likely to oppose it. One in three respondents argue that the minimum wage should match the officially calculated living wage. Under the draft state budget for 2026, the minimum wage is planned to rise by over 12 percent to around 620 euros (approximately 1,212 leva).

The survey also looked at how much salaries have grown since the beginning of the year. More than one-third report an increase of up to 5 percent, while over 42 percent have seen a rise between 10 and 15 percent. Only 3.4 percent of respondents say their pay has gone up by more than 20 percent. Nevertheless, the dominant sentiment is that these increases fall short in the current economic environment.

CITUB expert Violeta Ivanova notes that wage growth is noticeably stronger among higher-income groups compared to those earning less, which she warns may lead to widening social disparities. She stresses that pay levels in lower-income categories must be raised more substantially in the coming years, as the modest increases recorded so far do not meet basic living needs. Ivanova adds that inflation continues to erode purchasing power, reinforcing the view, expressed by more than 86 percent of respondents, that wage growth in 2025 is unlikely to be sufficient unless policy changes are made.

Source: "Myara" survey