Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Arrears on utility bills was 17.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
17.2%
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
8th
of 47 countries
All-time high
34.0%
in 2013
All-time low
17.2%
in 2025
Years of data
21
2005–2025

Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria, 2005–2025

01020302005201520252005: 19 Percentage2006: 19 Percentage2007: 28.8 Percentage2008: 33.4 Percentage2009: 32.1 Percentage2010: 31.6 Percentage2011: 28.6 Percentage2012: 28.4 Percentage2013: 34 Percentage2014: 32.9 Percentage2015: 31.4 Percentage2016: 31.7 Percentage2017: 31.1 Percentage2018: 30.1 Percentage2019: 27.6 Percentage2020: 22.2 Percentage2021: 19.2 Percentage2022: 18.8 Percentage2023: 17.8 Percentage2024: 17.6 Percentage2025: 17.2 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

In 2025, arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria stood at 17.2%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

That represents a change of down 2.3% on the previous year and down 45.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria peaked at 34.0% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2025.

Bulgaria ranks 8th of 47 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria, 2005 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
2005 19.0%
2006 19.0% +0.0%
2007 28.8% +51.6%
2008 33.4% +16.0%
2009 32.1% -3.9%
2010 31.6% -1.6%
2011 28.6% -9.5%
2012 28.4% -0.7%
2013 34.0% +19.7%
2014 32.9% -3.2%
2015 31.4% -4.6%
2016 31.7% +1.0%
2017 31.1% -1.9%
2018 30.1% -3.2%
2019 27.6% -8.3%
2020 22.2% -19.6%
2021 19.2% -13.5%
2022 18.8% -2.1%
2023 17.8% -5.3%
2024 17.6% -1.1%
2025 17.2% -2.3%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 17.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.7%, 3.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 17.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.4%, 3.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2007 +51.6% 19.0% 28.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 26.5% 19.0% 33.4% 5
2010s 30.7% 27.6% 34.0% 10
2020s 18.8% 17.2% 22.2% 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 5 Romania 17.7% compare
  2. 6 Türkiye 17.6% compare
  3. 7 Serbia 17.3% compare
  4. 9 Spain 9.2% compare
  5. 10 Ireland 8.8% compare
  6. 11 Cyprus 8.2% compare

See the full ranking of 53 places →

More reference data data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria?
Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria was 17.2% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest arrears on utility bills recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 34.0% in 2013.
What is the lowest arrears on utility bills recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2025.
How does Bulgaria rank for arrears on utility bills?
Bulgaria ranks 8th out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
Is arrears on utility bills rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 45.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Arrears on utility bills. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Arrears on utility bills in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/arrears-on-utility-bills/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Arrears on utility bills
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
53 places, 997 data points, 2003–2025
Last refreshed