Bulgaria Reports 12% Wage Growth in 2025

In 2025, the average gross annual salary of employees under an employment or service contract in Bulgaria reached 31,239 leva (€15,969), according to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Compared to 2024, this represents an increase of 12.0%, with wages in the public sector rising by 12.6% and in the private sector by 11.7%.

By sector, the highest average gross salaries were reported in “Creation and dissemination of information and creative products; telecommunications” at 64,537 leva (€32,980), followed by “Production and distribution of electricity, heat and gaseous fuels” at 41,632 leva (€21,260), and “Financial and insurance activities” at 41,620 leva (€21,254).

The lowest average salaries were recorded in “Hotel and restaurant activities” at 17,043 leva (€8,710) and in “Agriculture, forestry and fishing” at 19,402 leva (€9,918).

The data highlights a continued gap between high-paying sectors such as IT and energy, and lower-paid industries like hospitality and agriculture, despite the overall strong annual wage growth in the country.