Bulgaria's inflation rises to 6.1% in October as fuel prices remain the main driver

Bulgaria's annual inflation rate rose to 6.1% in October 2026, according to a flash estimate by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) published on 3 November and reported by BTA. Monthly inflation was 1.3%. The rate measured by the consumer price index was 5.7% in September.

The largest monthly price increases were in clothing and footwear, up 7.4%, recreation, sport and culture, up 7%, and education services, up 2.5%, the NSI said. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, which Eurostat uses to compare euro area countries, showed annual inflation of 6% and a monthly rise of 0.8%.

Speaking on Nova TV on 8 November, NSI President Atanas Atanasov described the 6.1% rate as high and said rising fuel prices were the main driver, as in other euro area countries. He said France and Greece also had inflation above 5%, close to Bulgaria's level, while Lithuania's rate was higher, BTA reported.

The NSI monitors the prices of just over 860 goods and services, and most have risen, Atanasov said. Some categories have recorded much larger increases: transport prices, for example, are up by nearly 30%. Food prices are subject to seasonality, with some fruit, vegetables and other foods becoming cheaper at certain times of the year and more expensive at others.

"We are clearly highly dependent on energy sources, so developments in this area have a direct impact on us," Atanasov said. Despite the sharp increase in fuel prices over the past year, prices had stabilised at a high level in the past month and had at least stopped rising, he added. He said Bulgaria should not expect a significant increase in inflation next year.

The figures matter for wage talks and for the 2027 budget, which assumes average inflation of 4% next year.