Inflation Hungary 2023

Average inflation: 17.6%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 17.6%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in January at 25.7%. The lowest inflation was in December at 5.5%.

Highest month
January: 25.7%
Lowest month
December: 5.5%
Difference
20.2 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Food and non-alcoholic beverages with an average of 25.6%. The lowest price increase was in Clothing and footwear with an average of 8.5%.

Highest increase
Food and non-alcoholic beverages: 25.6%
Lowest increase
Clothing and footwear: 8.5%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 8.8% higher than the 5-year average of 8.8%. This approaches the highest level since records began (17.6% in 2023).

5-year average
8.8%
10-year average
4.9%
All-time high (2023)
17.6%
All-time low (2014)
-0.2%

Trend

Inflation shows an upward trend. Compared to 2022, inflation has risen by +3.1 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+3.1 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
December: -19.0 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 15.6% 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 €117.60 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2023

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
25.6%
+8.0vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
15.1%
-2.5vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
8.5%
-9.1vs avg.
More details →
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
15.6%
-2.0vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
15.5%
-2.1vs avg.
More details →
Health
11.6%
-6.0vs avg.
More details →
Transport
16.4%
-1.3vs avg.
More details →
Communication
9.4%
-8.2vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
14.5%
-3.1vs avg.
More details →
Education
8.8%
-8.8vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
24.3%
+6.7vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
14.1%
-3.5vs avg.
More details →

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

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2022
January 25.7% +17.8
February 25.4% +17.1
March 25.2% +16.7
April 24.0% +14.5
May 21.5% +10.8
June 20.1% +8.4
July 17.6% +3.9
August 16.4% +0.8
September 12.2% -7.9
October 9.9% -11.2
November 7.9% -14.6
December 5.5% -19.0
Average 17.6%

Data source

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

See also