Change in consumer prices in the European Union, August 2025
Released: 22 September 2025
Harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP)
According to the harmonised index of consumer prices, ensuring the comparability of inflation in EU member countries, consumer prices were 2.4% higher on average in the European Union in August 2025 than in the same period of the previous year. Within the EU, inflation was highest in Romania and Estonia (8.5% and 6.2%, respectively). Hungary (together with Latvia) was the fifth in the order of the member states, with an average consumer price rise of 4.2%. Among Visegrád countries, there was a higher price increase (of 4.4%) in Slovakia and lower ones (of 2.7% and 2.4%) in Poland and Czechia, respectively, than in Hungary. Consumer prices stagnated in Cyprus, in addition, the lowest (0.8%) inflation rate was measured for France.
Compared to the previous month, consumer prices were up by 0.2% in the EU as a whole and were unchanged in Hungary. The price level did not move considerably in the other three Visegrád countries either over one month.
National consumer price index (CPI)
According to national consumer price indices, too, published on the website of national statistical offices – and suitable for international comparisons only to a limited extent –, consumer prices rose the most (by 9.9%) in Romania in August 2025 compared to a year earlier. In Hungary, inflation was 4.3% according to this methodology.
In Hungary, food cost 5.9% more on average for consumers than in August 2024. Egg, coffee, chocolate and cocoa and seasonal food item (potato, fresh vegetable and fresh domestic and tropical fruit) prices went up significantly, by 17–20%. The price of meals at restaurants and canteens also grew at a rate exceeding the average, by 8.4%, and food inflation was 4.7% excluding food and beverage serving services. Within the product group, margarine became 30%, flour 12%, sugar 10%, other meat preparations 6.6%, milk products on average 6.2% and pork 4.9% cheaper. The consumer price of electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 11%, within which 23% more was to be paid than in the same month of the previous year for natural and manufactured gas and 2.6% more for butane and propane gas. Motor fuels cost 4.3% less, while alcoholic beverages and tobacco and consumer durables 7.3% and 2.4% more, respectively, for consumers. Service charges were 5.4% higher in total than a year earlier, within which rents, dwelling and vehicle repairs and maintenance prices, clothing and footwear repairs and rental prices, personal care and household service prices as well as theatre, cinema and other public entertainment ticket prices increased the most, by 9–10%.
The National Bank of Hungary forecast an inflation of 4.7% for 2025 in its Inflation Report in June. The rate of consumer price rise in the European Union may be 2.3% in 2025 as a whole according to the expectations of the European Commission.
Table 1
Changes in consumer prices in member states of the European Union, August 2025
Countries
CPI
HICP
compared with same month of previous year, %
compared with previous month, %
EU average
..
2.4
0.2
Euro area
..
2.0
0.1
Belgium
1.9
2.6
1.5
Bulgaria
5.3
3.5
0.1
Czechia
2.5
2.4
0.0
Denmark
2.0
1.9
–0.7
Germany
2.2
2.1
0.1
Estonia
6.1
6.2
0.9
Ireland
2.0
1.9
0.4
Greece
2.9
3.1
–0.6
Spain
2.7
2.7
0.0
France
0.9
0.8
0.5
Croatia
4.1
4.6
0.2
Italy
1.6
1.6
–0.2
Cyprus
–0.9
0.0
0.8
Latvia
4.1
4.2
–0.2
Lithuania
4.0
3.6
–0.3
Luxembourg
2.4
2.8
1.2
Hungary
4.3
4.2
0.0
Malta
..
2.7
0.7
Netherlands
2.8
2.4
0.3
Austria
4.1
4.1
0.3
Poland
2.9
2.7
–0.1
Portugal
2.8
2.5
–0.1
Romania
9.9
8.5
2.1
Slovenia
3.0
3.0
0.0
Slovakia
4.2
4.4
0.1
Finland
0.5
2.2
–0.3
Sweden
1.1
3.4
–0.3
Source: Euro indicators - Inflation, August 2025 and websites of the national statistical offices of the member states.
Download date: 18 September 2025.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Released: 22 September 2025
Harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP)
According to the harmonised index of consumer prices, ensuring the comparability of inflation in EU member countries, consumer prices were 2.4% higher on average in the European Union in August 2025 than in the same period of the previous year. Within the EU, inflation was highest in Romania and Estonia (8.5% and 6.2%, respectively). Hungary (together with Latvia) was the fifth in the order of the member states, with an average consumer price rise of 4.2%. Among Visegrád countries, there was a higher price increase (of 4.4%) in Slovakia and lower ones (of 2.7% and 2.4%) in Poland and Czechia, respectively, than in Hungary. Consumer prices stagnated in Cyprus, in addition, the lowest (0.8%) inflation rate was measured for France.
Compared to the previous month, consumer prices were up by 0.2% in the EU as a whole and were unchanged in Hungary. The price level did not move considerably in the other three Visegrád countries either over one month.
National consumer price index (CPI)
According to national consumer price indices, too, published on the website of national statistical offices – and suitable for international comparisons only to a limited extent –, consumer prices rose the most (by 9.9%) in Romania in August 2025 compared to a year earlier. In Hungary, inflation was 4.3% according to this methodology.
In Hungary, food cost 5.9% more on average for consumers than in August 2024. Egg, coffee, chocolate and cocoa and seasonal food item (potato, fresh vegetable and fresh domestic and tropical fruit) prices went up significantly, by 17–20%. The price of meals at restaurants and canteens also grew at a rate exceeding the average, by 8.4%, and food inflation was 4.7% excluding food and beverage serving services. Within the product group, margarine became 30%, flour 12%, sugar 10%, other meat preparations 6.6%, milk products on average 6.2% and pork 4.9% cheaper. The consumer price of electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 11%, within which 23% more was to be paid than in the same month of the previous year for natural and manufactured gas and 2.6% more for butane and propane gas. Motor fuels cost 4.3% less, while alcoholic beverages and tobacco and consumer durables 7.3% and 2.4% more, respectively, for consumers. Service charges were 5.4% higher in total than a year earlier, within which rents, dwelling and vehicle repairs and maintenance prices, clothing and footwear repairs and rental prices, personal care and household service prices as well as theatre, cinema and other public entertainment ticket prices increased the most, by 9–10%.
The National Bank of Hungary forecast an inflation of 4.7% for 2025 in its Inflation Report in June. The rate of consumer price rise in the European Union may be 2.3% in 2025 as a whole according to the expectations of the European Commission.
Changes in consumer prices in member states of the European Union, August 2025
| Countries | CPI | HICP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| compared with same month of previous year, % | compared with previous month, % | ||
| EU average | .. | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| Euro area | .. | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Belgium | 1.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 |
| Bulgaria | 5.3 | 3.5 | 0.1 |
| Czechia | 2.5 | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Denmark | 2.0 | 1.9 | –0.7 |
| Germany | 2.2 | 2.1 | 0.1 |
| Estonia | 6.1 | 6.2 | 0.9 |
| Ireland | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.4 |
| Greece | 2.9 | 3.1 | –0.6 |
| Spain | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.0 |
| France | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| Croatia | 4.1 | 4.6 | 0.2 |
| Italy | 1.6 | 1.6 | –0.2 |
| Cyprus | –0.9 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| Latvia | 4.1 | 4.2 | –0.2 |
| Lithuania | 4.0 | 3.6 | –0.3 |
| Luxembourg | 2.4 | 2.8 | 1.2 |
| Hungary | 4.3 | 4.2 | 0.0 |
| Malta | .. | 2.7 | 0.7 |
| Netherlands | 2.8 | 2.4 | 0.3 |
| Austria | 4.1 | 4.1 | 0.3 |
| Poland | 2.9 | 2.7 | –0.1 |
| Portugal | 2.8 | 2.5 | –0.1 |
| Romania | 9.9 | 8.5 | 2.1 |
| Slovenia | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 |
| Slovakia | 4.2 | 4.4 | 0.1 |
| Finland | 0.5 | 2.2 | –0.3 |
| Sweden | 1.1 | 3.4 | –0.3 |
Source: Euro indicators - Inflation, August 2025 and websites of the national statistical offices of the member states.
Download date: 18 September 2025.