Bulgaria minimum wage 2027: €660 a month proposed, up from €620

Bulgaria’s government proposes a minimum wage of €660 gross a month from 1 January 2027, up from €620.20 today. That is a rise of €39.80, or 6.4%, and works out at about €512 net for a full-time employee. The draft decree is not final yet: it still has to be adopted by the Council of Ministers (BTA).

What has been decided so far?

The labour ministry published the draft decree for public consultation on 15 October 2026, BTA reports. On 23 October the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation (government, unions and employers) discussed it but did not reach consensus. Employers’ organisations (BICA, BIA, BCCI and CEIBG) supported €660; the unions CITUB and Podkrepa opposed it and criticised the new method for setting the wage.

Labour Minister Natalia Efremova said the rise compensates for and exceeds annual inflation of 5.7%, and that about 462,000 employees earn the minimum wage. The new hourly minimum would be €3.98.

How much is the minimum wage net?

Employees pay 13.78% in contributions (10.58% social security, including 2.2% to a private pension fund, plus 3.2% health insurance; NRA rates for people born after 1959, as of 2026-10). Then a 10% flat income tax is charged on what is left (kik-info.com).

	2026	2027 (proposed)
Gross	€620.20	€660.00
Employee contributions (13.78%)	€85.46	€90.95
Taxable income	€534.74	€569.05
Income tax (10%)	€53.47	€56.91
Net pay	≈ €481	≈ €512

The method: gross × 0.8622 = taxable income; taxable income × 0.9 = net. Podkrepa quotes €512.16 net for €660; small differences come from rounding. Employers pay their own contributions on top.

What about the maximum insurable income?

Contributions are capped at a maximum monthly insurable income. In 2026 it is €2,111.64 (January–July) and €2,300 from 1 August, according to the NRA. The 2027 ceiling is set in the 2027 social security budget; we could not confirm a final figure yet.

What does it mean for newcomers to Varna?

Several thresholds follow the minimum wage. The digital nomad visa requires a yearly income of 50 times the monthly minimum: about €31,010 now and €33,000 at €660. Since August 2026 the minimum insurable income for self-employed people also equals the minimum wage (€620.20). If you are planning a budget, compare these figures with our partner site’s cost of living in Varna and the digital nomad visa guide.

Update: decision pending

As of 26 October 2026 the draft is still being discussed and has not been adopted. Watch strategy.bg and the labour ministry for the outcome.

Update: final decree

Not yet published. We will add the adopted amount and the date of the Council of Ministers decree here.