Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

More than 1/5 of Bulgarians live below the poverty line

Photo: pixabay

The poverty threshold in Bulgaria was BGN 637.92 (EUR 323) per person per month in 2023. This is an increase of 21.3 per cent compared with the previous year, when the indicator was BGN 525.92 (EUR 266), the National Statistical Institute said. 

In 2023, 1.3259 million Bulgarians, or 20.6 per cent of the country's population, were below the poverty line. In 2022, it was 1.572 million Bulgarians, or 22.9 per cent of the total population. 

The main factor that increases the risk of falling into the poorest group for the majority of the population is their economic activity and participation in the labour market. 

56.8 per cent of the poor are unemployed. The working poor represent 11.7% of the country's labour force. More than 2/3 of them are people with no school education. Part-time workers are three times more at risk of poverty than full-time workers.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Company invests over 1 million euros in its production in Bozhurishte

A Bulgarian company is expanding its production of laser cutting machines in the Sofia-Bozhurishte Industrial Park, the Ministry of Economy announced. The investment is worth 2 million leva (over 1 million euros). The company will build a new..

published on 9/14/25 9:10 AM
Petar Dilov

Ministry of Economy: The direct impact of US tariffs on Bulgarian exports may total €468 million

The tariffs imposed on European goods by the Trump administration are expected to have both direct and indirect effects on Bulgarian exports.  The Ministry of Economy and Industry has calculated the direct impact at €468 million, while..

published on 9/10/25 4:45 PM

Is Bulgaria making the most of China’s vast trade potential?

The Celestial Empire, the “world’s factory”—that is China, the globe’s second-largest economy. The Asian powerhouse is actively expanding its economic reach worldwide, with the Belt and Road Initiative as the apogee of these efforts, through which..

published on 9/10/25 2:42 PM