site.btaHalf of Bulgarians Have No Computer or Car

Approximately half of Bulgarians have no computer, and about the same percentage have no car, according to National Statistical Institute data for 2021. Televisions are the most common type of consumer durable in Bulgarian households.

Some 90.8% of households in the country own the dwelling they live in, and 5.5% use a dwelling for which they pay no rent, although they do not own it. Some 3.7% of households live in a rented home, including 2.5% paying rent on a free-market basis and 1.2% paying rent for a municipal dwelling. Eight per cent of households own a second dwelling.

About 92.2% of households live in dwellings built before 1990, with 69.6% using dwellings built between 1961 and 1990. Another 22.6% of homes were built before 1961, and 7.9% after 1990.

Some 65.2% of households in Bulgaria live in a two- or three-room home. This applies to 70.4% of urban households and 49.7% of rural households. Another 23.3% of urban households and 48.3% of rural households use dwellings consisting of four or more rooms.

Approximately 23.4% of households own a garage. This applies to 20.1% of urban households and 33.3% of rural households.

About 82.5% of households have electricity, running water, a sewerage system, a bathroom and a toilet in their homes. Sanitation conditions differ considerably between urban and rural areas, with a sewerage system available to 44.7% of rural dwellings and 97.9% of urban dwellings.

Some 81.8% of rural households and 97.9% of urban households have an indoor flushing toilet.

Central heating is available to 21.0% of households (27.7% of urban households and 1.0% of rural households).

Some 56.2% of Bulgarian households own a motor vehicle, and 5.7% own two or more of them. Eight-point-three per cent of households cannot afford to buy and maintain a car, and 35.4% say they do not need one.

Televisions are the most common type of durables, with 99.4% of households owning at least one, and 32.7% owning two or more. Refrigerators are the second most common durable, with 99.3% of households (99.7% of urban households and 98.3% of rural households) owning at least one refrigerator or freezer.

Approximately 96.2% of households own a washing machine, 1.8% cannot afford to buy one, and 2.0% say they do not need one.

One-point-one per cent of households have no telephone (either landline or mobile). Some 1.6% have only a landline telephone, and 85.1% own only a mobile telephone (typically two or more). About 12.2% of households own both landline and mobile telephones.

Approximately 55.2% of households own at least one computer. This applies to 61.9% of urban households and 35.0% of rural households. Some 40.5% of households say they do not need a computer at home.

Some 67.4% of households get an Internet service at home. This applies to 73.5% of urban households and 48.8% of rural households. Those who say they do not need an Internet service at home account for 30.6% of all households.

Air conditioning is available in 46.0% of households in Bulgaria, while 17.2% cannot afford to buy such equipment. Some 36.8% of households say they do not need air conditioning at home.