Bulgaria’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 5.1% in August 2026, up from a four‑month low of 4.5% in July, in line with preliminary estimates. Price increases were recorded in several categories, including alcoholic beverages and tobacco (6.1% vs 5.7% in July), transportation (21.5% vs 14.5%), recreation and culture (7.6% vs 7.5%), restaurants and hotels (9.6% vs 9.3%), and miscellaneous goods and services (5.6% vs 5.3%).
Inflation remained unchanged for housing and utilities (5.1%) and for furnishings and household equipment (0.3%), while prices for clothing and footwear were stable after a 0.4% decline in the previous month.
By contrast, price growth slowed for food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.8% vs 1.2%), health (3.3% vs 4.0%), education (9.1% vs 9.2%), and information and communication (1.5% vs 1.8%). Prices fell in insurance and financial services, which registered a decline of 0.3% after a 1.1% increase in July.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 0.6% in August, easing from a 0.8% increase in the previous month.
