In 2018 the poverty line in Bulgaria was set at 179 euros a month per person in a household. Poor people in Bulgaria are 1.55 million or 22% of the population, the National Statistical Institute reported.

This is 114,000 less or almost 7% less than figures in 2017. The lowest poverty line is reported in the Pazardzhik and Montana districts - 122 euro and the highest in Sofia - 261 euro. The share of the poor is the highest among the unemployed - 56.1%. The number of the poor among the Roma ethnicity is the highest - 68,3% and the lowest among Bulgarians - 15,6%. Among the poor Bulgarians, the retirees predominate - 48.7%, while unemployment is highest among the Roma - 39.2%. About 25% of the population in the districts of Montana, Veliko Tarnovo, Lovech and Sliven is categorized as poor.