Economy, jobs and prices in Varna (Severoiztochen, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 24,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 62% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 3rd highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Varna?
The local economy produced €6.6 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Varna?
About 224,150 people worked in Varna in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Varna district?
The average annual wage in Varna district was 26,007 leva in 2024, roughly 2,167 leva a month; that is 2nd highest of 28 districts and 93% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Varna district?
In Varna the best-paid sector in 2024 was information and communication at 48,085 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was other service activities at 17,411 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Varna district?
Gross domestic product per person in Varna was 29,690 leva in 2024, 93% of the national figure; industry produced 22.0% of its gross value added and services 76.3%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Varna district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Varna stood at 1,648 million euro at the end of 2024, or 3,767 euro per resident, 6th highest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Varna district?
There were 35,601 non-financial enterprises in Varna in 2024 (81 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 150,031 people and reporting net sales of 28,738 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Varna district?
Labour offices in Varna district had 6,963 registered unemployed people on average in 2024, a registered unemployment level of 3.5% against 5.2% nationally, 2nd lowest of 28 districts.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Varna district?
Varna district had 409 accommodation establishments with 64,549 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 1,188,562 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Varna?
The largest part of the economy of Varna in 2024 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 33.9% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (22.1%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Varna?
Factories, mines and energy produced 15.1% of the value added in Varna in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Varna growing?
Gross value added rose from €2.7 billion in 2015 to €5.8 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 117% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Varna?
Of the 224,150 jobs located in Varna in 2023, 23% in public services, education, health and other services, 13% in industry and 7.7% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Varna?
The number of people working in Varna fell by 1.8% between 2015 and 2023, to 224,150.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Varna district had an average of 153,552 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 12.3% of them worked in manufacturing (national share 19.1%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Measured in current prices, GDP per person in Varna rose from 17,550 leva in 2019 to 29,690 leva in 2024, a gain of 69% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Varna spent 1,773 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 4,052 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 87%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Varna in 2024, 11.6% were aged 29 or under and 7.9% had been registered for more than a year (national shares 11.1% and 20.4%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Accommodation in Varna earned 439 million leva from 4,752,786 nights spent in 2024, about 92 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Varna compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Varna ranks 27 of 28, highest first. Average annual number of unemployed registered at labour offices as a share of the labour force
| Rank | Area | Registered unemployment level (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Plovdiv | 4.0% |
| 23 | Stara Zagora | 4.0% |
| 24 | Sofia | 4.0% |
| 25 | Gabrovo | 3.9% |
| 26 | Pernik | 3.8% |
| 27 | Varna | 3.5% |
| 28 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 1.7% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Varna ranks 5 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Blagoevgrad | 104 |
| 3 | Sofia | 93 |
| 4 | Dobrich | 92 |
| 5 | Varna | 92 |
| 6 | Pazardzhik | 88 |
| 7 | Burgas | 84 |
| 8 | Lovech | 81 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Varna ranks 2 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 38,728 |
| 2 | Varna | 26,007 |
| 3 | Sofia | 25,190 |
| 4 | Vratsa | 25,052 |
| 5 | Stara Zagora | 24,731 |
| 6 | Plovdiv | 23,473 |
| 7 | Ruse | 22,490 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Varna ranks 6 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Burgas | 5,558 |
| 4 | Gabrovo | 5,193 |
| 5 | Plovdiv | 4,110 |
| 6 | Varna | 3,767 |
| 7 | Razgrad | 3,191 |
| 8 | Stara Zagora | 3,152 |
| 9 | Ruse | 3,142 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Varna ranks 4 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 103 |
| 2 | Burgas | 86 |
| 3 | Blagoevgrad | 82 |
| 4 | Varna | 81 |
| 5 | Smolyan | 76 |
| 6 | Plovdiv | 73 |
| 7 | Dobrich | 72 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Varna ranks 22 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Targovishte | 17.6% |
| 20 | Dobrich | 17.0% |
| 21 | Montana | 15.4% |
| 22 | Varna | 15.1% |
| 23 | Blagoevgrad | 14.8% |
| 24 | Haskovo | 13.2% |
| 25 | Silistra | 10.0% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Varna ranks 4 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 29.3% |
| 2 | Vidin | 23.7% |
| 3 | Sliven | 22.2% |
| 4 | Varna | 22.1% |
| 5 | Kyustendil | 21.7% |
| 6 | Yambol | 21.4% |
| 7 | Haskovo | 20.6% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Varna ranks 24 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Targovishte | 21.5% |
| 22 | Burgas | 21.5% |
| 23 | Gabrovo | 21.4% |
| 24 | Varna | 20.3% |
| 25 | Vratsa | 17.7% |
| 26 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 14.7% |
| 27 | Sofia | 12.4% |
More on Varna: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Severoiztochen · Bulgaria
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Regions, districts and municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria 2024 (yearbook tables by statistical region, district and municipality), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81cba27bb0cc…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.