Bulgaria has recorded the strongest improvement in living standards across the European Union in 2025, according to preliminary Eurostat data on actual individual consumption, a key indicator of household well-being. The figures show that Bulgaria’s actual individual consumption rose by 4 percentage points over the past year, reaching 77% of the EU average.

In the first quarter of 2026, labor costs across the European Union continued to rise, with Eurostat reporting a 3.6% annual increase in hourly labor costs across the bloc.

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).

Bulgaria has recorded the strongest improvement in living standards across the European Union in 2025, according to preliminary Eurostat data on actual individual consumption, a…