Bulgaria reported an annual inflation rate of 6.3% in May 2026, being the second highest in the EU, after Romania. Consumer prices increased monthly by 0.3%.

Bulgaria reported an annual inflation rate of 6.3% in May 2026, according to the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) published by Eurostat. This represents the highest level of inflation since September 2023, placing Bulgaria second in the European Union, after Romania, which recorded an inflation rate of 9.7%.

Lithuania follows with 5.1%. Additionally, Bulgaria remains a leader in annual price increases in the euro area. In May, consumer prices rose by 0.3% compared to the previous month, and in April, the annual inflation rate was 6%. The National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria reported an annual inflation rate of 6.9% in May, with zero growth month-on-month. In the euro area, inflation was 3.2% in May, and for the entire European Union, it reached 3.3%. The main contribution to inflation in the euro area came from the services sector, followed by energy and food.