site.btaIncome, Expenditures, Consumption: 2021 Statistics

The annual total income average per capita is 7,705 leva in 2021, an increase of 10.0 per cent compared to 2020. The total income average per household member increases 1.8 times during the 2012 - 2021 period, the National Statistical Institute said on Thursday.

Bulgarian households spent an average of 7,042 leva per capita in 2021, or 13.2 per cent more compared to 2020. Household expenditure increase 1.7 times during the 2012 - 2021 period. Real household income increases by 6.5 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020. The highest value of the index of real income is in 2021, in comparison to 2012 - 159.0 per cent.

The income from wages and salaries in 2021 is 4,379 leva, an increase of 11.5 per cent compared to 2020 and 1.9 times compared to 2012.

The income from pensions during the last year is 2,311 leva, an increase of 14.5 per cent compared to 2020 and 2 times compared to 2012; the income from self-employment is 401 leva, a decrease of 7.6 per cent compared to 2020 and an increase of 21.5 per cent compared to 2012; the income from other earnings is 49 leva, an increase of 6.5 per cent compared to 2020 and a decrease of 55.0 per cent compared to 2012.

The income from social benefits (unemployment benefits, family allowances and other social benefits) in 2021 is 192 leva, a decrease of 5.9 per cent compared to 2020 and an increase of 31.5 per cent compared to 2012.

Income from wages and salaries has the highest relative share within the total household structure. This share in 2021 is 56.8 per cent, 0.7 percentage points (pp) more than in 2020 and 4.1 pp more than in 2012.

The relative share of consumer expenditure within total household expenditure decreases from 83.6 per cent in 2012 to 82.2 per cent in 2021.

During the 2012 - 2021 period, within the total household expenditure average per capita, are observed changes as: 2,057 leva are spent on food and non-alcoholic beverages in 2021, or 9.9 per cent more than in 2020 and by 51.8 per cent more compared to 2012; expenditure on housing (water, electricity, fuels, furnishing and maintenance of the house) during the last year is 1,307 leva, or 16.6 per cent more than in 2020 and 1.7 times more than in 2012

In 2021, 442 leva are spent on health, 13.9 per cent more than in 2020 and 2.1 times more than in 2012; 798 leva are spent on transport and communication in 2021, 14.0 per cent more than in 2020 and 1.8 times more than in 2012.

During the last year, expenditure on taxes and social insurance contributions is 926 leva, an increase of 7.7 per cent compared to 2020 and more than 2 times compared to 2012.

The relative share of expenditure on food within total household expenditure is 29.2 per cent in 2021, or 0.9 pp less than in 2020 and 4.2 pp less than in 2012. The relative share of expenditure on housing increases by 0.5 pp in 2021 compared to 2020 and remains the same in comparison to 2012. The share of expenditure on taxes and social insurance contributions within total household expenditure is 13.2 per cent in 2021, or 0.6 pp less than in 2020 and 2.2 pp more than in 2012. The relative share of expenditure on health in 2021 increases by 0.1 pp compared to 2020 and by 1.1 pp compared to 2012.

Statistical data show changes in the household consumption structure in Bulgaria in 2021 compared to 2020. Consumption per capita of bread and paste products decreases by 2.2 kg and that of yoghurt - by 0.7 kg. Consumption of vegetables increases by 2.9 kg, of fruit - by 2.7 kg, of meat - by 2.3 kg, of meat products - by 1.2 kg, of milk - by 1.2 litres and of non-alcoholic beverages - by 6.6 litres. Annually, consumption of alcoholic beverages per capita in 2021 remains the same as in 2020 - 31.7 litres.

The purchasing power of households increases for most kinds of food in 2021. The biggest increase in purchasing power is observed for potatoes, eggs, apples, and pork.

In 2021, 90.8 per cent of households are living in their own dwellings, and 5.5 per cent are living in dwellings free of rent. 3.7 per cent of the observed households are living in rented dwellings - 2.5 per cent of the households pay free rent and 1.2 per cent pay municipal rent. 8.0 per cent of the households also possess a second dwelling.

92.2 per cent of households are living in dwellings constructed prior to 1990; 22.6 per cent of the dwellings were constructed prior to 1961, and 7.9 per cent were constructed after 1990. 65.2 per cent of the households are living in dwellings with two or three rooms. 82.5 per cent of the households have electricity, running water, sewerage, bathrooms, and toilets in their dwellings. There are considerable discrepancies with respect to the availability of the above-mentioned facilities between urban and rural areas. In rural areas sewerage is available in only 44.7 per cent of the dwellings, while in urban areas this percent is 97.9 per cent.

81.8 per cent of rural households and 97.9 per cent of urban households have toilets inside their dwellings. A total of 21.0 per cent of the country’s dwellings have central heating, 56.2 per cent of the observed households possess a car, and 5.7 per cent of households possess two or more cars. 8.3 per cent of households cannot afford a car, and 35.4 per cent do not need one.

Amongst the durables, those that are most common are TV sets - 99.4 per cent of households have a TV, and 32.7 per cent of households have two or more TV sets.

Refrigerators and freezers take second place - 99.3 per cent of the households possess refrigerators and/or freezers, 96.2 per cent possess a washing machine, while 1.8 per cent cannot afford it, and 2.0 per cent do not need one.

About 1.1 per cent of the households do not have a telephone (non-mobile or mobile), some 55.2 per cent of the possess PCs, and 46.0 per cent possess air-conditioners.