December 21 (SeeNews) - Hourly labour costs in Bulgaria increased by 16.2% on the year in the third quarter of 2022, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said on Wednesday, citing preliminary data.
Salary costs rose by an annual 16.3% in the July-September period, while other labour costs went up by 15.8%, the NSI said in a statement.
Hourly labour costs grew the most in the industry sector- by 18.1%, followed by services and construction with 16.4% and 16.0%, respectively.
In terms of economic activities, the highest growth rate in labour costs, of 23.4%, was recorded in hospitality, followed by mining and quarrying with a 19.4% increase and public administration with 19.2%.
Bulgaria came second after Hungary in the European Union in terms of the annual increase in hourly wage costs in the third quarter of 2022, the bloc's statistical office, Eurostat, said on Monday.