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Saved research evidence · 4 November 2026

Perplexity · Rising prices · English · reply 3

Perplexity · Rising prices · English · reply 3

How much have prices risen in Bulgaria, and what has become more expensive?

Asked in English. Captured 2026-11-04T18:51:36.640Z.

Original saved answer. These are the assistant’s claims, preserved for inspection. They are not independently verified economic guidance.

Prices in Bulgaria are 6.1% higher than a year ago, according to the latest National Statistical Institute (NSI) estimate for October 2026. They rose 1.3% in October alone. These are preliminary figures, released on 3 November—not yet the final October data.
nsi

For a practical illustration, a basket that cost €100 a year ago would now cost about €106.10 if its prices followed the national average. Your own increase will depend on what you buy.

What has become more expensive?

Transport, restaurants and hotels, and education stand out in the latest reported annual breakdown. Food prices have risen much less than those categories over the past year.
novinite

Spending category	Price increase over the year to October 2026
Transport	37.1%
Restaurants and hotels	9.8%
Education	9.2%
Recreation, sport and culture	9.2%
Housing and utilities	5.6%
Healthcare	3.2%
Insurance and financial services	2.5%
Food and non-alcoholic drinks	1.9%
Clothing and footwear	0.3%
Furnishings and household goods	0.1%

These are the annual category changes reported alongside October’s preliminary inflation release. The transport figure covers the wider category, not just petrol or diesel.
novinite

The biggest increases within October itself were different: clothing and footwear rose 7.4%, recreation, sport and culture 7%, and education 2.5%. Those are one-month changes, not annual increases—so clothing can have a sharp monthly jump while still being only slightly more expensive than a year earlier.
novinite

What does that mean for everyday shopping and bills?

The latest detailed September figures show why the experience can vary so much between purchases:

Groceries: potatoes rose 36.5% and cucumbers 22% in September alone, while whole milk rose 1.3% and white bread 0.8%. But grapes fell 11.2% and peppers 10.3%; eggs, cooking oil and yellow cheese also became cheaper that month. These are monthly movements, including seasonal changes—not annual food inflation.
trafficnews

Motoring: A95 petrol rose 6.4%, diesel 5.5% and LPG 3.9% in September compared with August.
trafficnews

Household heating: piped gas rose 3.6%, pellets 2.7% and firewood 1.2% that month.
trafficnews

Some purchases became cheaper: September brought falls in package holidays, accommodation, international flights and several household appliances.
trafficnews

So the national average does not mean everything has risen by roughly 6%. A household spending heavily on transport and eating out can experience a substantially bigger increase than one whose spending is concentrated on groceries and household goods.
novinite

How much higher are prices over several years?

The longer-term rise is considerably larger than the latest annual rate. NSI reports that, using the EU-comparable Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, prices in September 2026 were:

11.6% higher than in September 2023.

37.3% higher than in September 2021.
nsi

That means a basket costing €100 in September 2021 would cost approximately €137.30 five years later if it tracked that index.

There are two slightly different headline measures: Bulgaria’s national consumer price index puts October annual inflation at 6.1%, while the EU-comparable harmonised measure puts it at 6.0%. They are separate measures, rather than conflicting estimates of the same index.
nsi

Is this all because of the euro?

The evidence does not support attributing the whole increase to the euro changeover. The European Central Bank found unusually strong increases in some services when Bulgaria adopted the euro in January 2026—including restaurants, accommodation, hairdressing and certain professional services—but said February’s movements had largely returned to normal seasonal patterns. That finding concerns the initial changeover period; it does not explain all the inflation accumulated later in the year.
ecb.europa

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