The monthly inflation rate was 0.0%, while the annual inflation rate was 3.7%. The inflation rate is measured by the CPI, with monthly inflation referring to May 2025 compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation is for May 2025 compared to the same month of the previous year.
In May 2025, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Restaurants and hotels’ (0.8%), ‘Miscellaneous goods and services’ (0.6%), ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (0.6%) and ‘Clothing and footwear’ (0.5%). A decrease in the prices was recorded in the following groups: ‘Transport’ (-1.8%), ‘Communications’ (-1.0), ‘Recreation and culture’ (-0.9%) and ‘Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels’ (-0.3%).
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
In May 2025, the monthly inflation rate was 0.0% and the annual inflation rate in May 2025, compared to May 2024, was 3.7%[1].
The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (May 2025 compared to December 2024) was 1.9%, and the annual average inflation rate for the period June 2024 - May 2025 compared to the period June 2023 - May 2024 was 2.8%.
Monthly inflation
In May 2025, the prices of goods and services increased in the following consumer groups:
The prices of goods and services decreased in the following consumer groups:
The prices of the services in ‘Education’ remained unchanged.
Accumulated inflation
The accumulated inflation, measured by CPI, for the last three years (May 2025 compared to May 2022) was 16.8% and for the last five years (May 2025 compared to May 2020) was 38.4%.
Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)
In May 2025, the monthly inflation rate, measured by HICP, was 0.1% and the annual inflation rate in May 2025 compared to May 2024 was 2.9%[2].
The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (May 2025 compared to December 2024) was 1.3%, and the annual average inflation rate for the period June 2024 - May 2025 compared to the period June 2023 - May 2024 was 2.7%.
Monthly inflation
In terms of HICP, in May 2025, the prices of goods and services increased in the following consumer groups:
The prices of goods and services decreased in the following consumer groups:
The prices of the services in ‘Education’ remained unchanged.
Accumulated inflation
The accumulated inflation, measured by HICP, for the last three years (May 2025 compared to May 2022) was 14.7% and for the last five years (May 2025 compared to May 2020) was 33.2%.
Price Index of a Small Basket (PISB)
In May 2025, according to the Price Index of a Small Basket, the prices remained unchanged on a monthly basis and a price increase of 4.1% was registered since the beginning of the year[3].
In May 2025, compared to the previous month, the prices of goods and services in the small basket for the 20% of households with the lowest income changed as follows:
Methodological notes
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the official measure of inflation in the Republic of Bulgaria. It measures the total relative price change of goods and services used by households for private (non-production) consumption. It is calculated by applying the structure of Bulgarian households’ final monetary consumption expenditures. The main source of information for the expenditures is the household budget survey in the country. The CPI in year t is calculated with the expenditures’ structure of year t - 1.
The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) is the comparable measure of inflation across EU Member States. It is one of the criteria for price stability and the readiness of Bulgaria to join the Eurozone. HICP, as well as CPI, measures the total relative price change of goods and services. Both indices are calculated using the same basket of goods and services but differ with concern to the weights used. HICP is calculated using weights, which reflect the individual and collective consumption of all households (incl. institutional and foreign households) in the country’s economic territory. The main source of information for HICP weights is the national accounts (NA) data. For calculating the HICP in 2025, NA data for households’ final monetary consumption expenditures (HFMCE) - domestic concept in 2023 is used. NA 2023 data are reviewed and updated to make them representative of 2024, following Eurostat’s methodological guidance on the compilation of HICP weights in case of large changes in consumer expenditures[4].
In compliance with Regulation (EC) No. 2015/2010, since January 2016, the base year for HICP has changed, and all indices have been calculated and published using 2015 as a base year. The time series have been recalculated according to the new base year and have been posted on the website of NSI (www.nsi.bg).
The Price Index of a Small Basket (PISB) measures the relative average price changes of 100 socially useful and vital living goods and services. The weights of this index reflect the expenditures of the 20% lowest households’ incomes. The source of the information on weights is the Households Budget Survey in the country. This index in year t is calculated with the weights of year t - 1.
The chain consumer price indices measure the price change in the current month compared to the previous month. The chain consumer price indices are used as a measure of monthly inflation.
The 12-month consumer price indices measure the price changes occurring between the current month and the same month of the previous year. The 12-month consumer price indices are used as a measure of annual inflation.
Consumer price indices over December of the previous year measure the accumulated changes in prices of the current month concerning December of the previous year. Consumer price indices over December of the previous year are used as measures of inflation since the beginning of the year. In December of each year, the 12-month index is equal to the index over December of the previous year.
The annual average consumer price indices measure the average price change during the 12 months of the current year compared to the average price change during the 12 months of the previous year. The annual average consumer price indices are used as a measure of the annual average inflation.
Statistical area: Inflation and Consumer Price Indices:
Inflation and Consumer Price Indices|National Statistical Institute (nsi.bg)
IS Infostat: Consumer prices:
https://infostat.nsi.bg/infostat/pages/module.jsf?x_2=68
Metadata and Methodology:
Consumer Price Indices (CPI)|National Statistical Institute (nsi.bg)
Inflation Rate Calculator:
Inflation Rate Calculator|National Statistical Institute (nsi.bg)
Annex
Table 1
| Code | Commodity groups | Weights | May 2025 compared to April 2025 | May 2025 compared to December 2024 | May 2025 compared to May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | ||
| 00 | Total CPI | 100.000 | 100.0 | 101.9 | 103.7 |
| 01 | Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 29.826 | 100.5 | 104.8 | 106.9 |
| 02 | Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 4.718 | 100.6 | 103.8 | 106.1 |
| 03 | Clothing and footwear | 4.552 | 100.5 | 101.2 | 99.5 |
| 04 | Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 13.573 | 99.7 | 104.7 | 106.4 |
| 05 | Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | 5.967 | 100.5 | 100.6 | 99.1 |
| 06 | Health | 7.928 | 100.2 | 93.8 | 95.3 |
| 07 | Transport | 9.312 | 98.2 | 97.3 | 96.1 |
| 08 | Communication | 5.022 | 99.0 | 101.3 | 100.2 |
| 09 | Recreation and culture | 7.645 | 99.1 | 97.4 | 107.2 |
| 10 | Education | 0.509 | 100.0 | 101.5 | 107.0 |
| 11 | Restaurants and hotels | 5.764 | 100.8 | 105.2 | 110.8 |
| 12 | Miscellaneous goods and services | 5.184 | 100.6 | 102.7 | 104.1 |
| Foods | 31.131 | 100.4 | 104.8 | 106.7 | |
| Non-foods | 34.890 | 99.7 | 100.2 | 99.4 | |
| Catering | 5.009 | 100.6 | 105.9 | 110.5 | |
| Services | 28.969 | 99.7 | 100.2 | 104.6 |
Table 2
| Code | Commodity groups | Weights | 2015 = 100 | May 2025 compared to April 2025 | May 2025 compared to December 2024 | May 2025 compared to May 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‰ | % | % | % | % | ||
| 00 | Total HICP | 1000.000 | 140.84 | 100.1 | 101.3 | 102.9 |
| 01 | Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 219.661 | 180.72 | 100.5 | 105.0 | 106.8 |
| 02 | Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 56.922 | 136.76 | 100.5 | 103.7 | 105.6 |
| 03 | Clothing and footwear | 39.747 | 110.36 | 100.5 | 101.0 | 99.8 |
| 04 | Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 96.547 | 159.05 | 99.6 | 104.9 | 106.4 |
| 05 | Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | 69.081 | 125.99 | 100.4 | 100.8 | 100.0 |
| 06 | Health | 76.061 | 114.64 | 100.2 | 90.9 | 92.4 |
| 07 | Transport | 141.190 | 117.31 | 98.5 | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| 08 | Communication | 53.837 | 92.10 | 99.0 | 101.3 | 100.3 |
| 09 | Recreation and culture | 92.041 | 121.98 | 99.8 | 99.7 | 101.4 |
| 10 | Education | 13.934 | 162.52 | 100.0 | 101.5 | 106.9 |
| 11 | Restaurants and hotels | 82.002 | 179.66 | 101.3 | 104.1 | 111.1 |
| 12 | Miscellaneous goods and services | 58.976 | 147.49 | 100.9 | 102.2 | 103.9 |
Table 3
| Code | Commodity groups | Weights | May 2025 compared to April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | ||
| 00 | Total PISB | 100.000 | 100.0 |
| 01 | Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 50.013 | 99.9 |
| 03 | Clothing and footwear | 3.895 | 100.2 |
| 04 | Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | 23.511 | 99.7 |
| 05 | Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | 2.767 | 101.6 |
| 06 | Health | 12.894 | 100.3 |
| 07 | Transport | 0.695 | 100.3 |
| 08 | Communication | 0.098 | 100.6 |
| 09 | Recreation and culture | 0.561 | 100.3 |
| 12 | Miscellaneous goods and services | 5.566 | 100.5 |
| Foods | 50.013 | 99.9 | |
| Non-foods | 29.156 | 100.1 | |
| Services | 20.831 | 100.1 |
[1] According to the CPI methodology. For more information, see the Methodological notes on pages 5 and 6 and Annex, Table 1.
[2] According to the HICP methodology. For more information, see the Methodological notes on pages 5 and 6 and Annex, Table 2.
[3] For more information, see the Methodological notes on pages 5 and 6 and Annex, Table 3.
[4] Guidance on the compilation of HICP weights in case of large changes in consumer expenditures, Eurostat, Directorate C, Macro-economic statistics, 03.02.2020:
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