One in Five Bulgarians Lives Below the Poverty Line

One in five Bulgarians lives below the poverty line, according to new data from the National Statistical Institute. The share of the poor has risen compared to the previous year and is 21.7% in 2024 compared to 20.6% in 2023.

The poverty line for the country as a whole is 763.83 BGN (approximately €390) as the average monthly income per household member. This represents a 19.7% increase compared to the previous year.

At this threshold, 1,401,300 people are living below the poverty line.

The social protection system plays a critical role in reducing poverty. Without pensions and other social transfers, the poverty rate would rise sharply to 46.1%.

12% of employed individuals are working poor.

According to NSI data, the risk of poverty for part-time workers is about three times higher than for those working full-time.

Among working women, the poverty risk is 2.5 percentage points lower than among men.

Education level has a significant impact:

Every second person living in poverty has only primary or no education - 56.3%. As educational attainment increases, the relative share of the working poor drops by half for those with basic education and by five times for those with secondary education.

Among individuals with higher education, only 4.8% are considered working poor.

Poverty assessments by household type show the highest relative poverty rates among:

Households of two adults with three or more children – 47.0% (2024)
Single-parent households with children – 40.0% (2024)

If a household includes a person over the age of 65, the risk of poverty increases by 16.7 percentage points compared to a household with a member under 65.

In 2024, the highest poverty rate by ethnicity is observed among those who self-identify as Roma – 62.5%, while the lowest rate is among ethnic Bulgarians – 16.0%.

Poverty assessments also include subjective indicators related to material deprivation.

1 in 5 Bulgarians cannot afford to maintain a comfortable temperature in their home.
18.7% say they cannot afford to eat meat or fish every other day.
The same proportion struggles to pay regular monthly expenses such as rent, electricity, and water on time.

In 2024, 16.6% of the population lives in severe material and social deprivation.

The lowest poverty lines in 2024 are observed in the regions of Vidin (524 BGN) and Silistra (550 BGN), while the highest is in Sofia (capital) at 1,183 BGN, followed by Pernik (897 BGN), Varna (875 BGN), Kyustendil (834 BGN), and Stara Zagora (818 BGN).

The highest relative share of poor people—based on the poverty line for each district—is recorded in:

Pernik – 32.1%
Stara Zagora – 26.3%
Targovishte – 22.4%
Varna – 22.3%
Sofia (capital) – 22.2%

The lowest relative share of poor people is in the regions of:

Gabrovo – 11.2%
Veliko Tarnovo – 12.4%
Montana, Silistra, and Smolyan – 13.1%
Shumen – 13.2%