Economy, jobs and prices in Kardzhali (Yuzhen tsentralen, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 13,300 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 33% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 24th highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Kardzhali?
The local economy produced €1.2 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Kardzhali?
About 64,500 people worked in Kardzhali in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Kardzhali district?
The average annual wage in Kardzhali district was 20,323 leva in 2024, roughly 1,694 leva a month; that is 7th lowest of 28 districts and 73% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Kardzhali district?
In Kardzhali the best-paid sector in 2024 was mining and quarrying at 42,838 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 12,451 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Kardzhali district?
Gross domestic product per person in Kardzhali was 16,088 leva in 2024, 51% of the national figure; industry produced 35.8% of its gross value added and services 52.7%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Kardzhali district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Kardzhali stood at 321 million euro at the end of 2024, or 2,147 euro per resident, 14th lowest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Kardzhali district?
There were 7,143 non-financial enterprises in Kardzhali in 2024 (48 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 28,104 people and reporting net sales of 3,437 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Kardzhali district?
The registered unemployment level in Kardzhali district averaged 9.2% in 2024 (4,333 people on the labour office register), 10th highest of 28 districts; the national level was 5.2%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Kardzhali district?
Kardzhali district had 89 accommodation establishments with 2,733 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 74,743 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Kardzhali?
The largest part of the economy of Kardzhali in 2024 was industry (manufacturing, mining and energy), at 30.5% of gross value added, followed by public administration, education, health and other services (23.7%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Kardzhali?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 30.5% of output in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Kardzhali growing?
Gross value added rose from €0.4 billion in 2015 to €1.1 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 144% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Kardzhali?
Of the 64,500 jobs located in Kardzhali in 2023, 21% in public services, education, health and other services, 22% in industry and 31.2% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Kardzhali?
The number of people working in Kardzhali fell by 11.4% between 2015 and 2023, to 64,500.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Kardzhali district had an average of 31,496 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 32.0% 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 Kardzhali rose from 10,802 leva in 2019 to 16,088 leva in 2024, a gain of 49% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Kardzhali spent 227 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 1,519 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 66%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Kardzhali in 2024, 8.2% were aged 29 or under and 19.8% 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 Kardzhali earned 7.9 million leva from 122,348 nights spent in 2024, about 65 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Kardzhali compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 10 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Vratsa | 9.7% |
| 8 | Targovishte | 9.3% |
| 9 | Blagoevgrad | 9.2% |
| 10 | Kardzhali | 9.2% |
| 11 | Smolyan | 8.5% |
| 12 | Pleven | 7.8% |
| 13 | Pazardzhik | 7.8% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 18 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ruse | 68 |
| 16 | Smolyan | 66 |
| 17 | Razgrad | 66 |
| 18 | Kardzhali | 65 |
| 19 | Yambol | 63 |
| 20 | Veliko Tarnovo | 62 |
| 21 | Shumen | 62 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 22 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Montana | 20,728 |
| 20 | Lovech | 20,666 |
| 21 | Sliven | 20,526 |
| 22 | Kardzhali | 20,323 |
| 23 | Silistra | 19,471 |
| 24 | Vidin | 19,445 |
| 25 | Haskovo | 19,421 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 15 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Pernik | 2,443 |
| 13 | Blagoevgrad | 2,351 |
| 14 | Dobrich | 2,320 |
| 15 | Kardzhali | 2,147 |
| 16 | Lovech | 1,880 |
| 17 | Veliko Tarnovo | 1,604 |
| 18 | Shumen | 1,586 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 26 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Pazardzhik | 54 |
| 23 | Razgrad | 53 |
| 24 | Pleven | 52 |
| 25 | Vidin | 48 |
| 26 | Kardzhali | 48 |
| 27 | Montana | 47 |
| 28 | Vratsa | 46 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 5 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Vratsa | 55.2% |
| 3 | Sofia | 49.2% |
| 4 | Gabrovo | 36.1% |
| 5 | Kardzhali | 30.5% |
| 6 | Pazardzhik | 29.7% |
| 7 | Plovdiv | 26.3% |
| 8 | Smolyan | 24.2% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 22 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Veliko Tarnovo | 16.0% |
| 20 | Pazardzhik | 15.6% |
| 21 | Razgrad | 15.4% |
| 22 | Kardzhali | 15.2% |
| 23 | Plovdiv | 15.1% |
| 24 | Targovishte | 14.0% |
| 25 | Gabrovo | 13.9% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 16 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Blagoevgrad | 25.9% |
| 14 | Pazardzhik | 24.2% |
| 15 | Dobrich | 24.0% |
| 16 | Kardzhali | 23.7% |
| 17 | Yambol | 23.1% |
| 18 | Ruse | 22.7% |
| 19 | Pernik | 22.7% |
More on Kardzhali: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Yuzhen tsentralen · 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…)
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