Minimum wage

The 2026 minimum wage

For 2026 the statutory minimum wage in Bulgaria is 620,20 € a month for full-time work, or 3,74 € an hour. It was set by a decree of the Council of Ministers, reported as ПМС № 243 of 13 November 2025 (the exact decree number is pending confirmation against the State Gazette promulgation), and applies from 1 January 2026. Both figures are the gross minimum — the amount before the employee’s contributions and the flat 10% tax are deducted. The values on this page are those in force for 2026.

Under a standard employment relationship, pay cannot be agreed below this level for full-time hours. For part-time work the monthly minimum and the insurance thresholds are applied pro rata to the hours worked, while the hourly minimum of 3,74 € stays the same reference point.

Why it also matters for contributions

The minimum wage does more than set the lowest lawful pay. For full-time employment it is also the operative floor of the insurable income — the base contributions are charged on. Because a full-time gross salary cannot fall below 620,20 €, the insurance base for a full-time worker never drops under that figure either. There is a separate, lower general minimum insurable income used in specific sub-minimum situations, but for an ordinary full-time job the minimum wage is the floor that actually binds.

How it fits the payslip

Someone earning exactly the minimum wage still has the standard deductions applied: the employee’s 13,78% of social and health contributions, then the flat 10% income tax on what remains after those contributions. So the net figure in hand is meaningfully lower than the 620,20 € gross headline. On top of that the employer pays a further 18,92% in contributions, which is a cost of employment but never comes out of the employee’s pay. You can see the full breakdown for any salary — including the minimum wage — on the calculator.

A note on the year’s changes

Two things are new for 2026. First, the minimum wage rose from its previous level — a double-digit increase year on year. Second, from 1 January 2026 the figure is expressed in euro following Bulgaria’s euro adoption, rather than in lev. During the mandatory dual-display window that runs until 8 August 2026 many payslips and notices show both currencies side by side; the calculator works in euro, the operative 2026 statutory currency.

The content of this page is being extended over time.