In the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, the total hourly labour cost rose by 12.8% (according to preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 11.5% in industry, by 13.1% in services and by 17.3% in construction.
The National Statistical Institute published data for 2023 on structural indicators: Net earnings and average tax rate; Tax wedge on labour costs; Unemployment trap; Low wage trap and Gender pay gap.
Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading ' Labour Market'.
In February 2025, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.6% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in February 2025, compared to February 2024, was 4.0%.
In February 2025, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Communications’ (+2.3%), ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+1.0%), ‘Restaurants and hotels’ (+0.9%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (+0.9%) and ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (+0.8%). A decrease in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Clothing and footwear’ (-2.1%) and ‘Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house’ (-0.1%).
The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.4% and the annual inflation rate was 3.9%.
In 2024, the goods carried by road freight transport were 10.4% less compared to 2023. A fall of 28.5% was registered for international transport, and for domestic transport a decrease of 6.6% was seen.
The transport performance, measured in tonne-kilometers, decreased by 18.5% compared to the previous year, which was due to a decrease in international transport - by 28.8%. In domestic transport an increase of 5.7% was recorded.
Detailed data are published on NSI’s website under the heading heading 'Transport', Road freight transport.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, the number of employees under labour contract (according to the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on short-term business statistics on employment) in non-financial enterprises was 1.6 million, or by 0.4% higher than at the end of the fourth quarter of 2023.
In Industry (incl. Mining and quarrying; Manufacturing; Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; Water collection, treatment and supply) the number of employees was 503.0 thousand, decreasing with 2.7% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
The number of employees in the Services of the business economy (except trade and financial and insurance activities) was 544.5 thousand, increasing with 2.5% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes data about the number of employees under labour contract in the non-financial enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 with additional disaggregations by economic activities.
Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.
According to the results of the Labour Force Survey, in 2024:
- The unemployment rate was 4.2%, by 0.1 percentage points lower compared to 2023.
- The employment rate of the population aged 15 - 64 increased by 0.2 percentage points in comparison with 2023 and stood at 70.9%.
- The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 74.0%, by 0.1 percentage points higher compared to 2023.
The data are from the Labour Force Survey - a sample statistical survey. It is carried out over a sample of non-institutional households. Quarterly, about 19.6 thousand households, randomly selected, are observed.
In 2024, 4 049 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 156.8 thousand rooms and 360.6 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with 2023, the accommodation establishments increased by 0.7% and the bed-places in them - by 0.2%.
The total number of nights spent was 27.6 million, or by 2.9% more in comparison with the previous year, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 4.0% and reached 9.0 million.
The total revenues from nights spent reached 2 402.2 million BGN, or by 15.5% more compared to a year before.
The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 10.5% compared to January 2024 and amounted to 2 038.6 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 30.8% and added up to 3 771.2 million BGN.
The most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (143.9%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (90.1%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (93.0%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (13.9%). The data are according to the Standard International Trade Classification.
The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 6 213.1 million BGN in January 2025, which is 2.5% less than the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 8 187.6 million BGN and increased by 10.4%.
In 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 2.1% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 53 975.8 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 4.0% and amounted to 55 805.5 million BGN.
In December 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 3.7% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 3 753.8 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 5.6% and amounted to 4 505.2 million BGN.
The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same month of 2023 was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (25.6%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (19.4%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (60.3%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (13.2%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.
In January 2025, 2 182 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation, with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country, with 64.2 thousand rooms and 133.6 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number of accommodation establishments increased by 0.5%, and the bed-places in them - by 3.7%.
The total number of nights spent was 1 135.9 thousand, or 10.2% more in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 12.7% and reached 487.0 thousand.
The total revenues from nights spent reached 112.9 million BGN, or 24.0% more compared to the same month of the previous year.
