Hungary and Romania posted the highest inflation in Europe

By Romania Journal Last updated Mar 19, 2025

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The annual inflation rate in the European Union decreased slightly in February, to 2.7%, from a level of 2.8% in January, but Romania is among the countries with the highest inflation, with an annual price increase of 5.2%, according to data published on Wednesday by Eurostat.

Last month, the EU member states with the lowest annual inflation rates were France (0.9%), Ireland (1.4%) and Finland (1.5%).

At the opposite end of the scale, the EU member states with the highest inflation rates were Hungary (5.7%), Romania (5.2%) and Estonia (5.1%). Compared to January 2025, the annual inflation rate decreased in 14 member states, including Romania from 5.3% to 5.2%, remained stable in six countries and increased in seven member states.

In the euro area, annual inflation fell more than expected, after four consecutive months of growth. The rate of price growth in the euro area slowed to 2.3% in February from 2.5% in January, according to the second estimate by Eurostat, which initially announced inflation of 2.4% in February.

The largest contribution to the annual inflation rate in the euro area came from services (1.66 percentage points), followed by food, alcohol and cigarettes (0.52 percentage points). In contrast, energy prices rose by just 0.2% year-on-year in February, after a 1.9% increase in January.

In Romania, according to data recently published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the annual inflation rate rose to 5.02% in February 2025, from 4.95% in January, with food prices rising by 4.54%, non-food prices by 4.79%, and services by 6.42%.

“The consumer price index in February 2025, compared to January 2025, was 100.88%. The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (February 2025 compared to December 2024) was 1.8%. The annual inflation rate in February 2025 compared to February 2024 was 5.0%. The average rate of change in consumer prices in the last 12 months (March 2024 – February 2025) compared to the previous 12 months (March 2023 – February 2024) was 5.2%,” the INS press release states.

According to the cited source, the harmonized consumer price index in February 2025 compared to the previous month was 100.69%. The annual inflation rate in February 2025 compared to February 2024, calculated on the basis of the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 5.2%.

The average rate of change in consumer prices in the last 12 months (March 2024 – February 2025) compared to the previous 12 months (March 2023 – February 2024) determined on the basis of the HICP was 5.5%.

The National Bank of Romania (BNR) has revised upwards, to 3.8%, from 3.5% previously, the inflation forecast for the end of 2025 and anticipates that it will reach 3.1% at the end of 2026, according to data presented in February by the Governor of the BNR, Mugur Isărescu.

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