Bulgaria recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.3% in May 2026, according to revised data from Eurostat using the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP). The figure marks the highest level since September 2023 and places the country among the top inflation performers in the European Union, second only to Romania, which posted 9.7%. Lithuania follows with 5.1%.
Despite this ranking within the EU, Bulgaria remains the country with the highest annual price growth inside the eurozone. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 0.3% in May, signaling continued upward pressure after April’s 6% annual rate, which already indicated an acceleration.
Eurostat’s figures align with earlier preliminary estimates. At the national level, the National Statistical Institute reported a 6.9% annual increase in inflation for May based on the domestic consumer price index, while monthly inflation was unchanged.
Across the eurozone, inflation rose to 3.2% in May, up from 3% in April and significantly higher than the 1.9% recorded a year earlier. In the broader European Union, annual inflation stood at 3.3%, slightly above the previous month’s 3.2%, and well above levels seen a year ago.
Eurostat data also shows diverging trends among member states: inflation declined in 11 countries while increasing in 16, highlighting uneven price dynamics across the bloc.
