Bulgaria: small town of Breznik overtakes Plovdiv and Varna on average pay
According to the Institute for Market Economics (IME), average pay in Breznik is 1,219 euros, a first top-10 entry. Kozloduy leads with 1,971 euros thanks to its nuclear plant.
Photo: Anton Lefterov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
The small town of Breznik in Pernik province has overtaken Plovdiv and Varna on average wages, according to the study “265 Stories about the Economy” by the Institute for Market Economics (IME), based on 2024 data. The average monthly wage in the municipality is 1,219 euros, compared with 1,128 euros in Varna and 1,058 euros in Plovdiv. Breznik, home to about 3,400 people, is in the top ten for the first time.
Kozloduy leads with 1,971 euros because of its nuclear power plant, followed by Chelopech (1,860 euros, mining) and Sofia (1,650 euros). The top ten also includes Pirdop, Radnevo, Devnya, Panagyurishte, Bozhurishte and Galabovo.
Growth in Breznik is driven mainly by the Milin Kamak gold and silver deposit, operated by Breznik Minerals, wholly owned by Asarel-Medet, as well as construction, metalworking and food processing.