Bulgaria remains among the lowest-priced countries in the European Union, but the gap with the EU average continues to narrow, according to comparative price level data covering 2021-2025, the Institute for Market Economics reports.
The indicators, which benchmark countries against the EU-27 average set at 100, show a steady convergence process that accelerated after the pandemic and the inflation surge following the start of the war in Ukraine. While Bulgaria and Romania still sit at the bottom of the ranking, their distance from Western European price levels is shrinking.
At present, Bulgaria is positioned alongside Romania at roughly 63-65% of the EU average price level. This places both countries more than one-third below the European benchmark. By contrast, most Western European states remain above the EU average, with the overall midpoint of EU prices situated roughly between Italy and France.
The data also shows a clear regional pattern of convergence rather than uniform movement. Countries in Central and Eastern Europe are generally moving closer to EU averages, while higher-price economies are in some cases adjusting downward relative to the benchmark.
One of the key takeaways from the long-term dataset is the structural shift since the pandemic period. Bulgaria’s price level, which in earlier years remained mostly in the 49-53% range of the EU average, has climbed above 55% in 2021 and reached close to 60% by 2023. In 2025, the upward trend continues, reinforcing the convergence dynamic across the bloc.
