Women in Bulgaria continue to earn less than men during their working years, but the gap becomes even wider after retirement. While women's average wages are 12% lower than men's, the difference in pension income rises to 19.4%, reflecting the long-term impact of career and earnings disparities accumulated over an entire working life.
The figures place Bulgaria within a broader European pattern in which inequalities become more pronounced after retirement. Although the country's gender pay gap is close to the EU average, the pension gap is considerably larger, showing how differences in employment history, earnings and years of contributions continue to affect income well beyond the workforce.
Across the European Union, women earn an average of 11.1% less than men. However, the disparity in retirement income is much greater, with women receiving pensions that are, on average, 24.5% lower. In practical terms, this means that for every 100 euros received by a retired man in the EU, a retired woman receives approximately 75.5 euros.
Bulgaria's pension gap of 19.4% remains below the European average, yet it is still substantially higher than the country's 12% wage gap. The data suggest that relatively smaller differences in earnings during employment gradually compound over time, resulting in noticeably lower pensions for women.
