About 10% of people in Bulgaria lack the financial means to purchase a car for personal use, placing the country third in the European Union for vehicle unaffordability according to Eurostat data. The figures show a sharp contrast with the rest of the bloc, where the average proportion of households unable to afford a personal vehicle stands at 5.5%.
Affordability Gap Between Bulgaria and the European Union Average
This positions the country alongside Finland at 11.3% and Hungary at 10.4% in the top three for inability to purchase a car for personal use. Conversely, countries like Cyprus record just 1.6% of residents unable to buy a car, while Slovenia reports 1.7% and Croatia logs 2.6%.
The broader European Union average sits at 5.5%. While Bulgaria trails far behind those standards, the ten-year trend marks a measurable change in household purchasing power.
Ten-Year Decline in Households Lacking Personal Vehicles
Over the past decade, the share of people in Bulgaria who cannot afford a personal car has dropped by 12 percentage points. In 2016, that figure reached 22%. By 2025, it fell to approximately 10%, according to figures cited by eranova.bg.
Financial accessibility has improved across the decade. The data indicates that vehicle ownership has become a reality for a significantly larger portion of the population compared to ten years ago.
Regional Comparisons Across the Balkans and Neighboring Markets
The financial hurdle of vehicle ownership affects neighboring countries to varying degrees. Greece reports that 7.3% of its population cannot afford a personal car, while North Macedonia records 13% for 2024 data.
Higher percentages appear further across the region. Serbia logs 15.9% of its residents unable to purchase a vehicle, and Turkey records 20.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of people in Bulgaria cannot afford a car?
Approximately 10% of the population lacks the financial means to purchase a personal vehicle, according to Eurostat data for 2025.
How does Bulgaria compare to the rest of the European Union?
Bulgaria ranks third in the EU, where the average proportion of people who cannot afford a car is 5.5%.
What was the rate of car unaffordability in Bulgaria ten years ago?
In 2016, 22% of the population could not afford a personal vehicle, marking a 12 percentage point decrease over the decade.