Bulgaria’s Minimum Wage Gains Ground: Purchasing Power Nears EU Average

Since the start of 2026, Bulgaria’s statutory minimum monthly wage has been set at 620 euros, the lowest in the European Union. Despite this, Eurostat’s latest recalculation shows that this income has a purchasing power equivalent to 1,039 euros in terms of average European prices, bringing Bulgarian workers closer to the EU average in practical terms.

This adjustment places Bulgaria among the member states where the minimum wage allows for over 1,000 euros of purchasing power. In this ranking, the country surpasses Estonia, where the minimum wage is 886 euros, Latvia at 780 euros, and the Czech Republic at 924 euros, drawing nearer to Slovakia, Malta, and Hungary.

Across the EU, 22 out of 27 member states maintain a statutory minimum wage. Notably, Eurostat reports that no country saw a decline in the purchasing power of its minimum wage compared to 2025. The highest minimum wage remains in Luxembourg, standing at 2,704 euros per month.