The Cost of Doing Business in Bulgaria
The main costs at a glance
| Cost | Level in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Average gross wage | €1,444 a month, Q2 2026 |
| Minimum wage | €620.20 a month |
| Class A office, Sofia | €14 to €18 per m² a month |
| Class A warehouse, Sofia | About €6.00 per m² a month |
| Electricity for business | €0.145 per kWh, excl. VAT |
| Diesel at the pump | €1.89 a litre, October 2026 |
| Registering a company | €28.12 online |
| Corporate income tax | 10% |
Source: BTA: Average wage of €1,444 in Q2 2026 (NSI); Cushman & Wakefield Forton: Sofia office MarketBeat, Q2 2026; BTA: Sofia industrial and logistics space, H1 2026 (Colliers); Eurostat: Electricity prices for non-household consumers (nrg_pc_205); Fuel-Prices.eu: Bulgaria fuel prices (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin); Wise: Cost of starting a business in Bulgaria (Registry Agency fees)5,3,6,4,7,8
How Bulgaria compares
Source: Eurostat: Labour cost levels by country, 2025 (lc_lci_lev)2
Prices for household goods and services were 37% below the EU average in 2025, the lowest of all 27 member states. Bulgaria was also the cheapest country for restaurants and hotels, transport services, clothing and footwear.1
What is changing
- Wages rose by 9.8% in the year to mid-2026, and faster in the private sector. The gap with Western Europe is narrowing but remains large.
- Building costs rose by 9.6% in the year to Q2 2026, pushed by materials and labour.
- Energy prices for business follow the regional wholesale markets; the regulated gas price rose each month from July to October 2026.
- The euro, adopted on 1 January 2026, removed exchange costs and currency risk for companies trading with the euro area.
Source: BTA: Average wage of €1,444 in Q2 2026 (NSI); BTA: Construction cost index up 9.6% in Q2 2026 (NSI); Bulgargaz: Regulated natural gas prices; European Central Bank: Bulgaria joins the euro area5,9,10,11
Every cost page below gives the latest figure, the date it was checked and a link to its source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of doing business in Bulgaria compared with the EU?
Bulgaria had the EU’s lowest household-consumption price level in 2025, at 63 on an EU = 100 scale. Its labour cost per hour was also the EU’s lowest, at €12.0 compared with the EU average of €34.9. Most business costs remain well below Western European levels.
How much does labour cost in Bulgaria?
Labour cost per hour in Bulgaria was €12.0 in 2025, compared with the EU average of €34.9. The average gross wage was €1,444 a month in Q2 2026.
How much does Class A office space cost in Sofia, Bulgaria?
Class A office rent in Sofia is €14 to €18 per m² a month, with 11.6% of office space vacant. The office market figures are for Q2 2026.
How much is business electricity in Bulgaria?
Business electricity in Bulgaria cost €0.145 per kWh in H1 2026, excluding VAT, compared with the EU average of €0.184 per kWh.
How much does it cost to register a company in Bulgaria?
Registering a company in Bulgaria costs €28.12 online or €56.24 on paper. The start-up cost summary gives €1 of capital alongside the online registration fee.
What is the corporate income tax rate in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria’s corporate income tax rate is 10%, while other major business costs include wages, office rents, utilities and company registration fees.
The costs, one by one
Start-up Costs
Register a company online for €28.12 with €1 of capital; accounting from €80 a month.
€28.12 Commercial Register fee, online (€56.24 on paper)
Read more
Labour Costs
€12.0 an hour, the lowest in the EU; average gross pay €1,444 a month.
€12.0 Labour cost per hour, 2025 (EU: €34.9)
Read more
Office Space
Class A offices in Sofia at €14 to €18 per m² a month, with 11.6% of space vacant.
€14–18 Class A rent in Sofia, per m² a month
Read more
Residential Property
New flats in Sofia at about €2,070 per m²; a two-bedroom flat rents for about €905 a month.
€2,070 Average asking price per m² for new flats in Sofia, excl. VAT
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Construction
Rough construction from €300 per m²; building costs 69% of the EU average but rising fast.
69.2 Construction price level, 2024 (EU = 100)
Read more
Fuel
Petrol at €1.66 and diesel at €1.89 a litre, well below the EU average.
€1.663 Petrol (Euro 95) per litre, 5 October 2026
Read more
Electricity
Business electricity at €0.145 per kWh, against an EU average of €0.184.
€0.145 Business electricity per kWh, H1 2026, excl. VAT
Read more
Natural Gas
Business gas at €0.044 per kWh, against an EU average of €0.061.
€0.044 Gas for business per kWh, H1 2026, excl. VAT
Read more
Heating
District heating from €45.50 per MWh in Burgas to €73.30 in Sofia.
€73.30 District heating in Sofia per MWh, from 1 July 2026
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Phone and Internet
Unlimited mobile from €18.90 a month; fibre reaches 93.5% of homes.
93.5% Homes covered by fibre to the premises, 2025 (EU: 74.1%)
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Postal and Courier
Letters from €0.50; next-day courier parcels from €2.69.
€0.50 Letter up to 50 g, non-priority
Read more
Transport and Logistics
A full truck from Munich to Sofia from €2,600; warehouses at about €6 per m².
€2,600–3,370 Full truck, Munich to Sofia, incl. tolls and fuel
Read more
Sources
- Eurostat: Price levels for consumer goods and services in 2025
- Eurostat: Labour cost levels by country, 2025 (lc_lci_lev)
- Cushman & Wakefield Forton: Sofia office MarketBeat, Q2 2026
- Eurostat: Electricity prices for non-household consumers (nrg_pc_205)
- BTA: Average wage of €1,444 in Q2 2026 (NSI)
- BTA: Sofia industrial and logistics space, H1 2026 (Colliers)
- Fuel-Prices.eu: Bulgaria fuel prices (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin)
- Wise: Cost of starting a business in Bulgaria (Registry Agency fees)
- BTA: Construction cost index up 9.6% in Q2 2026 (NSI)
- Bulgargaz: Regulated natural gas prices
- European Central Bank: Bulgaria joins the euro area
Figures checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
