Household income, expenditure and consumption - Third quarter of 2025

Household Income

The quarterly total income average per household member was 3 680 BGN during the third quarter of 2025 and it increased by 9.8% compared to the same quarter of 2024.

The highest relative share of income within the structure of the total income was the one from wages and salaries (58.1%). The relative share of income from pensions was 29.4%, and from self-employment - 7.8%. Compared to the third quarter of 2024, the relative share of income from wages and salaries increased by 3.5 percentage points (pp) and the share from pensions decreased by 0.9 percentage points.

In nominal terms, during the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same quarter of 2024, the average income per capita by source of income changed as follows:

• from wages and salaries it increased from 1 830 BGN to 2 137 BGN (by 16.8%);
• from self-employment it increased from 265 to 287 BGN (by 8.2%);
• from pensions it increased from 1 015 BGN to 1 083 BGN (by 6.6%);
• from social benefits it decreased from 79 BGN to 59 BGN (by 25.1%).

The relative share of monetary income in the structure of the total income during the third quarter of 2025 was 99.4% and the share of income in kind was 0.6%.

Household Expenditure 

The quarterly total expenditure average per household member during the third quarter of 2025 was 3 344 BGN and it increased by 6.0% compared to the same quarter of 2024.

The greatest share in the formation of the total expenditure was the expenditure on food and non-alcoholic beverages - 28.6%, as well as the expenditure on housing - 15.0%, on taxes and social insurance contributions - 14.9%, and on transport and communication - 10.7%.

The relative share of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 0.6 pp compared to the third quarter of 2024 and the share of taxes and social insurance contributions increased by 1.6 percentage points. The share of health decreased by 0.8 percentage points.

During the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same quarter of 2024, as absolute values, the average per capita expenditure by group changed as follows:

• on food and non-alcoholic beverages it increased from 881 BGN to 957 BGN (by 8.6%);
• on alcoholic beverages and tobacco it increased from 118 BGN to 136 BGN (by 15.0%);
• on clothing and footwear it decreased from 108 BGN to 98 BGN (by 8.9%);
• on housing (water, electricity, heating, furnishing and maintenance of the house) it increased from 485 BGN to 501 BGN (by 3.2%);
• on health it decreased from 183 BGN to 166 BGN (by 9.5%);
• on transport and communication it increased from 349 BGN to 359 BGN (by 3.0%);
• on recreation, culture and education it increased from 322 BGN to 325 BGN (by 1.0%);
• on taxes and social insurance contributions it increased from 420 BGN to 498 BGN (by 18.6%).

Household Consumption

The consumption of main food products on average per household member during the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter of 2024 changed as follows:

• The biggest increase was in fruit consumption - from 21.2 to 21.5 kilograms;
• The biggest decrease was in bread and paste products consumption - from 16.8 kg to 16.5 kg, white cheese - from 3.0 to 2.7 kg and vegetables - from 24.4 to 24.2 kilograms;
• The consumption of meat products, dry beans and potatoes remainеd unchanged (Table 1).

Methodological notes

The source of data is the quarterly household budget survey. It is a sample survey. The sample used for the survey is a random sample of 3 060 households.

A regular household consists of two or more persons living in one dwelling or part of a dwelling, having their meals together and having a common budget, irrespective of whether they are relatives. A household is also one person living alone, having meals separately and having his/her separate budget.

The household budgets survey does not study institutional households.

The main indicators for income, expenditure and consumption are estimated quarterly and annually as average values and relative share.

Household income in cash and kind includes all receipts of household members from wages and salaries, pensions, entrepreneurship, unemployment benefits, social benefits, etc. Other regular or irregular transfers from other households and property sales are also included.

Household expenditure includes expenditure for food, beverages, tobacco, housing (water, electricity, heating, furnishing and maintenance), transport, communications, health, taxes, social insurance contributions, etc.

Consumption average per household member includes the quantities of foods and beverages consumed at home and does not include consumption in public catering establishments.