site.btaAverage Salary in Plovdiv Region Ranks 6th Nationwide, Does Not Meet Standard of Living - Statistics

The Regional Statistical Bureau of the National Statistical Institute on Tuesday released official data on newly hired people and the average gross salary for the region of Plovdiv in the first quarter of 2024.

According to preliminary data, people employed in the region of Plovdiv as of the end of March 2024 increased by 1,200, reaching 228,200, which is an increase of 0.5% compared to the end of December 2023.

The latest statistics show that there was also an increase in the average gross monthly salary in the region in the first quarter of this year, reaching BGN 1,910 in March. The average monthly wage in the first quarter of 2024 reached BGN 1,859, which marks an 15.8% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. The average monthly salary in Plovdiv region in the first quarter of 2024 increased by 16.4% in the public sector and by 15.4% in the private sector year-on-year.

In terms of the average monthly salary in the first quarter of 2024, Plovdiv region ranks sixth among the 28 regions in the country. The region with the highest average monthly salary is Sofia (capital) with 3,037 BGN, while the lowest is Blagoevgrad region with BGN 1,435. However, according to experts, the average monthly salary is not sufficient to justify the standard of living in the region.

The largest increase in the average monthly wage in Plovdiv region is observed in the Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector with 15%, followed by Repair of cars and motorcycles by 14.1% and Financial and insurance activities by 14%. The largest decrease in the average monthly remuneration was registered in the Education sector, by 11.9%, followed by the Real estate sector with 11.5% and Telecommunications with 11%.

"We do not have research to determine the reasons for the decrease or increase in salaries in individual sectors. Many teachers, for example, are often released at the end of the year and reassigned at the beginning of the next. It is possible that this reflects the decrease in the monthly average remuneration in the Education sector", said Valentin Tochev from the Territorial Statistical Bureau.

The highest average monthly remuneration in the first quarter of 2024 with BGN 4,065 was received by people employed in the Telecommunications sector, while the lowest paid were the persons employed in the Administrative sector with BGN 1,231.