Increase in spending by Bulgarian households outpaces increase in income – statistics institute

The total income average per household member in Bulgaria in the first quarter of 2019 was eight per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2018, but over the same period, total spending per household member went up by 11 per cent, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said on May 16.

According to the NSI, in Q1 2019, total income average per household member was 1519 leva (about 777 euro) while total expenditure average per household member was 1403 leva (about 717 euro).

The NSI said that largest share of income was from wages and salaries, 57.6 per cent. Income from pensions was close to 28 per cent and from self-employment 6.4 per cent, the NSI said.

As to total spending average per household member in Q1 2019, most was on food, 30.2 per cent, followed by housing, 18.2 per cent, taxes and social insurance contributions, 14 per cent, and transport and communication, 12.1 per cent.

Compared with Q1 2018, spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages was up by 10.2 percent, on alcoholic beverages and tobacco by 9.9 per cent, on clothing and footwear by 19.6 per cent, and on housing (water, electricity, heating, furnishing and maintenance of the house) by 9.4 per cent.

Spending on health was up by 12 pe cent and on transport and communication by 13.3 per cent. Expenditure on taxes and social insurance contributions increased from 177 leva to 196 leva, by 10.2 per cent, the NSI said.

(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)

Comments

comments

The Sofia Globe staff

The Sofia Globe - the Sofia-based fully independent English-language news and features website, covering Bulgaria, the Balkans and the EU. Sign up to subscribe to sofiaglobe.com's daily bulletin through the form on our homepage. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=32709292