October Inflation at 5.3%: Bulgarians Face Steep Price Hikes...

October Inflation at 5.3%: Bulgarians Face Steep Price Hikes on Everyday Goods

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) has released data on inflation and consumer prices in Bulgaria for October 2025, showing a monthly increase of 0.9% and an annual inflation rate of 5.3%. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures monthly inflation as the change from September 2025, while annual inflation compares October 2025 to the same month in 2024. Clothing and footwear saw the largest price jump last month, rising by 7.1%, followed by entertainment and culture at 5.5%, and education by 1.1%. Conversely, transport costs fell by 0.2%, as did prices for housing furnishings, household goods, and related services. Other categories such as restaurants and hotels remained unchanged. Food prices also shifted, with notable increases for cucumbers (+9.6%), peppers (+5.8%), and tomatoes (+5.2%). Cocoa, ice cream, beer, and carbonated drinks rose between 2.7% and 4.7%, while fresh vegetable spices, frozen fish, and basic staples such as oil and lentils recorded more moderate increases of 1.0–2.4%. On the other hand, cabbage (-9.2%), onions (-6.5%), grapes (-5.0%), apples (-4.5%), and potatoes (-3.4%) saw significant declines, alongside smaller reductions for beef, rice, dairy products, and poultry. Non-food items also experienced mixed changes. Shoes (+8.6%) and clothing (+6.6%) led the increases, alongside rising costs for LTS driver courses (+3.9%), boilers (+2.9%), air conditioners (+2.2%), and refrigerators (+1.8%). Other smaller increases included cleaning products, barbershop services, gardening, and cinema tickets. Price drops were observed for international flights (-10.6%), short-term accommodation (-3.7%), washing powders (-2.4%), televisions (-2.3%), and various household appliances and fuels. Healthcare costs rose modestly in October, with medical laboratory services increasing by 1.6%, medical consultations by 1.1%, and dental services by 0.8%, while medication prices remained steady. Cumulative inflation, measured by the CPI, shows a 13.5% increase over the last three years (October 2025 compared to October 2022) and a 41.5% rise over the last five years (October 2025 compared to October 2020). The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) reported slightly lower rates: monthly inflation of 0.4% and annual inflation of 3.8%. Since the start of the year, HICP inflation is 3.2%, with the average annual rate over the last twelve months at 3.3%. Clothing and footwear again recorded the highest growth at 6.2%, followed by entertainment and culture (+2.0%) and education (+1.1%). Restaurants and hotels (-1.1%) and transport (-0.7%) saw price declines, while other categories experienced minimal changes. Three- and five-year cumulative HICP inflation stands at 12.2% and 35.5%, respectively. The Small Consumer Price Index (SCPI), reflecting the lowest-income 20% of households, indicated a monthly increase of 0.4% in October. Within this group, non-food goods rose by 0.6%, food products by 0.5%, and services by 0.1%. In sum, October 2025 data highlight rising costs for clothing, footwear, and essential goods, while some staple foods and transport-related items saw price relief. The monthly CPI of 0.9% brings the wholesale basket to an estimated 101.0 BGN (€51.5), while cumulative inflation since the start of the year reflects the continuing pressure on household budgets.

Clothing and footwear saw the largest price jump last month, rising by 7.1%, followed by entertainment and culture at 5.5%, and education by 1.1%. Conversely, transport costs fell by 0.2%, as did prices for housing furnishings, household goods, and related services. Other categories such as restaurants and hotels remained unchanged.

Food prices also shifted, with notable increases for cucumbers (+9.6%), peppers (+5.8%), and tomatoes (+5.2%). Cocoa, ice cream, beer, and carbonated drinks rose between 2.7% and 4.7%, while fresh vegetable spices, frozen fish, and basic staples such as oil and lentils recorded more moderate increases of 1.0–2.4%. On the other hand, cabbage (-9.2%), onions (-6.5%), grapes (-5.0%), apples (-4.5%), and potatoes (-3.4%) saw significant declines, alongside smaller reductions for beef, rice, dairy products, and poultry.

Non-food items also experienced mixed changes. Shoes (+8.6%) and clothing (+6.6%) led the increases, alongside rising costs for LTS driver courses (+3.9%), boilers (+2.9%), air conditioners (+2.2%), and refrigerators (+1.8%). Other smaller increases included cleaning products, barbershop services, gardening, and cinema tickets. Price drops were observed for international flights (-10.6%), short-term accommodation (-3.7%), washing powders (-2.4%), televisions (-2.3%), and various household appliances and fuels.

Healthcare costs rose modestly in October, with medical laboratory services increasing by 1.6%, medical consultations by 1.1%, and dental services by 0.8%, while medication prices remained steady.

Cumulative inflation, measured by the CPI, shows a 13.5% increase over the last three years (October 2025 compared to October 2022) and a 41.5% rise over the last five years (October 2025 compared to October 2020).

The Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) reported slightly lower rates: monthly inflation of 0.4% and annual inflation of 3.8%. Since the start of the year, HICP inflation is 3.2%, with the average annual rate over the last twelve months at 3.3%. Clothing and footwear again recorded the highest growth at 6.2%, followed by entertainment and culture (+2.0%) and education (+1.1%). Restaurants and hotels (-1.1%) and transport (-0.7%) saw price declines, while other categories experienced minimal changes. Three- and five-year cumulative HICP inflation stands at 12.2% and 35.5%, respectively.

The Small Consumer Price Index (SCPI), reflecting the lowest-income 20% of households, indicated a monthly increase of 0.4% in October. Within this group, non-food goods rose by 0.6%, food products by 0.5%, and services by 0.1%.

In sum, October 2025 data highlight rising costs for clothing, footwear, and essential goods, while some staple foods and transport-related items saw price relief. The monthly CPI of 0.9% brings the wholesale basket to an estimated 101.0 BGN (€51.5), while cumulative inflation since the start of the year reflects the continuing pressure on household budgets.