site.btaTotal Hourly Labour Cost Up 12.1% in Q4 of 2021, Y/Y

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute for the last quarter of 2021, the total hourly labour cost in Bulgaria increased by 12.1 per cent compared to the like period of 2020. The increase amounted to 11.8 per cent in industry, 11.4 per cent in services, and 14.4 per cent in construction. 

By economic activities, the last quarter of 2021 saw the biggest rise in total labour costs in the following sectors: administrative and support service activities (17.9 per cent); arts, entertainment and recreation (17.8 per cent); human health and social work activities (17.6 per cent). A drop was registered in real estate activities (2.3 per cent). 

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 12.7 per cent year-on-year, while the other (non-wage) costs went up by 9.4 per cent. Among economic
activities, the growth rate of wages and salaries costs ranged from 19.3 per cent in human health and social work activities to 3.6 per cent in real estate activities.