Inflation Hungary 2021

Average inflation: 5.1%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 5.1%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in November at 7.4%. The lowest inflation was in January at 2.7%.

Highest month
November: 7.4%
Lowest month
January: 2.7%
Difference
4.7 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics with an average of 12.0%. The lowest price increase was in Communication with an average of -1.7%.

Highest increase
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics: 12.0%
Lowest increase
Communication: -1.7%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 1.7% higher than the 5-year average of 3.4%.

5-year average
3.4%
10-year average
2.4%
All-time high (2007)
8%
All-time low (2014)
-0.2%

Trend

Inflation shows an upward trend. Compared to 2020, inflation has risen by +1.8 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+1.8 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
November: +4.7 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 3.1% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.

Purchasing Power

At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €105.10 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2021

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
3.4%
-1.7vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
12.0%
+6.9vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
0.2%
-4.9vs avg.
More details →
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
1.9%
-3.2vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
5.0%
-0.1vs avg.
More details →
Health
4.6%
-0.5vs avg.
More details →
Transport
11.7%
+6.6vs avg.
More details →
Communication
-1.7%
-6.8vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
2.1%
-3.0vs avg.
More details →
Education
3.7%
-1.4vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
5.5%
+0.4vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
4.0%
-1.0vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2020
January 2.7% -2.0
February 3.1% -1.3
March 3.7% -0.2
April 5.1% +2.7
May 5.1% +2.9
June 5.3% +2.4
July 4.6% +0.8
August 4.9% +1.0
September 5.5% +2.1
October 6.5% +3.5
November 7.4% +4.7
December 7.4% +4.7
Average 5.1%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 11/01/2026.

See also