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    Bulgaria’s Inflation in August: Prices Inch Up 0.1% as Food and Services See Mixed Changes

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    Bulgaria’s Inflation in August: Prices Inch Up 0.1% as Food and Services See Mixed Changes

    In August 2025, Bulgaria recorded a modest monthly inflation rate of 0.1%, according to data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), while annual inflation stood at 5.3%. These figures are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), comparing prices in August 2025 to both the previous month and the same month in 2024. Inflation measured from the start of the year, comparing August 2025 to December 2024, reached 4.2%, with the average annual rate over the 12-month period from September 2024 to August 2025 at 3.4%.

    Looking at monthly price movements, the largest increases were seen in “Communications” (0.9%), “Miscellaneous goods and services” (0.7%), and “Restaurants and hotels” (0.6%). In contrast, “Clothing and footwear” experienced a sharp decrease of 2.5%, while “Transport” fell by 0.6%. Within the food sector, notable increases included cucumbers (+16.9%), peppers (+9.4%), and apples (+8.2%), while watermelons and melons (-10.5%) and potatoes (-10.2%) recorded the steepest declines.

    Non-food goods and services also saw varied price movements. Significant increases included international flights (+10.4%), driver training courses (+5.3%), and boilers (+4.4%). Other notable rises were observed in financial services (+3.0%), refrigerators (+2.9%), and bicycles (+2.8%). Meanwhile, declines were registered for shoes (-3.9%), propane-butane gas for vehicles (-3.5%), and televisions (-2.8%), with minor decreases in clothing, diesel fuel, and holiday services. Health-related services recorded moderate increases: medical services (+0.6%), dental services (+0.4%), laboratory services (+0.3%), and pharmaceuticals (+0.1%).

    Cumulative inflation over longer periods underscores persistent price pressures. The CPI shows a 15.8% rise over the past three years and a 41.4% increase over the last five years. Using the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), annual inflation in August 2025 was slightly lower at 3.5%, with cumulative three- and five-year increases of 13.9% and 34.3%, respectively. The HICP also registered monthly gains in “Communications” (+0.9%), “Miscellaneous goods and services” (+0.9%), and “Food and non-alcoholic beverages” (+0.3%), while “Clothing and footwear” (-1.9%) and “Restaurants and hotels” (-0.5%) fell.

    The Small Basket Price Index (SCPI), reflecting changes for the lowest-income 20% of households, showed a 0.2% rise in August 2025, and a 4.7% increase since the start of the year. In this basket, monthly price changes were recorded at +0.2% for non-food goods, +0.1% for food products, and +0.1% for services, illustrating the subtle yet steady impact of inflation on households with limited incomes.

    Source: NSI

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