Statistical data

In August 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 903.4 thousand, or 8.3% above the registered in August 2023. Аn increase was registered in the trips with holiday and recreation purposes - by 19.6%, and with professional purposes - by 3.0%, while those with other purposes (as a guest, education, and visiting cultural and sports events) decreased by 3.6%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 2 135.7 thousand, or 2.8% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. Аn increase was registered in the trips with holiday and recreation purposes - by 6.2%, while those with professional purposes and with other purposes decreased by 2.3% and 0.5%, respectively.

Transit passes through the country were 38.3% (818.6 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

From 2024, NSI started publishing quarterly Services Producer Price Indices by base year 2021=100 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

The total producer price index in Services of the business economy increased by 0.9% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the previous quarter and by 4.2% in comparison to the same quarter of 2023.

Detailed data are published on the website of NSI under the heading ‘Short-term Business Statistics’.

The total export price index during the second quarter of 2024 is 94.2%, which is a drop of 0.2 percentage points in the index compared to the same period of the previous year.

The total import price index for the reporting period is 98.0%, which is 3.2 percentage points above the level of the index compared to the same period of 2023.

Preliminary data on export and import price indices for the second quarter of 2024 by sectors of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC, rev. 4) are published on the website of NSI under the heading ‘Exports and Imports price indices’.

The total export price index for 2023 is 93.0%, which is a drop of 33.0 percentage points in the index compared to the previous year.

The total import price index for the reporting period is 96.3%, which is with 23.0 percentage points below the level of the index compared to 2022.

Final data on export and import price indices for 2023 by sectors of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC, rev. 4) are published on the website of NSI under the heading ‘Еxports-and-imports-price-indices’.

The National Statistical Institute carries out benchmark revision of the data for the gross domestic product (GDP) and the gross national income (GNI) will be published on October 18, 2024 - updated quarterly and annual data for 2023 and revised quarterly and annual data for the period 2014 - 2022 for Gross domestic product and Gross national income.

The revisions are related to changes in the methodology and calculation procedures used for specific statistical indicators and are a result of the GNI verification cycle. They are carried out in accordance with the already adopted Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys and to the preliminary announced Calendar of time series revisions.

Following the adopted recommendations of the European System of Accounts, 2010 (ESA 2010) and of the Harmonized European Revision Policy (HERP) for harmonization of the policy for revisions of the national accounts at European level, a coordinated benchmark revision in the EU Member States, the countries from the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), as well as in the countries participating in the EU enlargement negotiations will be held in 2024.

Key macroeconomic aggregates like for example the gross domestic product, the gross national income, the gross capital formation, the final consumption expenditure of households, export of goods and services, import of goods and services and others will be changed again аs in the previous benchmark revisions in 2019 and in 2014.

The benchmark revisions are coordinated revisions aimed at improving the comparability and quality of data across the European Union (EU) and between the different statistical domains. Benchmark revisions can lead to significant revisions of entire data series, with a view of incorporating new data sources and other methodological improvements. This type of revision should be carried out at least once every five years. The last benchmark revision in Bulgaria was carried out in 2019.

More information about the harmonized benchmark revision in 2024 and the expected changes can be found in NSI’s Issue 2 of the Statistics Journal from June 2024 (in Bulgarian).

The housing prices increased by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the previous one (first quarter of 2024). The highest increase was recorded in Ruse city (+13.2%), followed by Plovdiv (+5.3%), Sofia (+2.9%) and Burgas (+2.9%). A decrease was registered in Stara Zagora (-0.2%).

In the second quarter of 2024, compared to the second quarter of 2023, housing prices rose by 15.1%.

Detailed data are published on the NSI website under the heading 'Housing price statistics'.

In the second quarter of 2024, compared to the second quarter of 2023, the total hourly labour cost rose by 15.4% (preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 11.2% in industry, by 13.6% in services and by 19.5% in construction.

The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in the economic sectors ‘Public administration and compulsory social security’ - by 27.0%, ‘Education’ - by 26.4% and ‘Real estate activities’ - by 24.9%.

In 2022, Bulgaria spent 30 391.7 million BGN for social protection benefits. In order to finance social protection in the country, 16 159.0 million BGN were allocated from the state budget, while the receipts of social protection contributions amounted to 17 121.0 million BGN.

In 2022, the social protection benefits by functions are:

‘Sickness/Healthcare’ - 8 304.8 million BGN;
‘Disability’ - 2 828.5 million BGN;
‘Old age’ - 13 635.1 million BGN;
‘Survivors’ - 1 664.8 million BGN;
‘Family/Children’ - 2 666.7 million BGN;
‘Unemployment’ - 875.9 million BGN;
‘Housing’ - 0.59 million BGN;
‘Social exclusion n.e.c.’ - 415.4 million BGN.

The ‘Old age’ function with its major component ‘expenditures for pensions’ had the highest share (44.9%) of the total expenditure. The ‘Sickness/Healthcare’ and ‘Disability’ functions also had a significant share of the total expenditure - 27.3% and 9.3% respectively.

More information and data on receipts and expenditure for social protection can be found on the website of NSI, section ‘Social protection’ and on the Information System ‘Infostat’.

In August 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.1% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in August 2024 compared to August 2023 was 2.1%.

In August 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (+0.9%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (+0.5%) and ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+0.3%). The highest decrease in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Clothing and footwear’ (-3.3%) and ‘Transport’ (-0.9%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.1% and the annual inflation rate was 2.4%.

Тhe exported goods amounted to 86 903.6 million BGN or 6.5% less than in 2022. The imported goods were for 97 073.0 million BGN, which is 10.0% less than the previous year.

The largest growth in the exports of goods compared to 2022 was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (18.0%). The biggest fall was observed in section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (49.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods was registered in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (14.9%) while the biggest fall was observed in section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (45.1%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.