Here is how heating and food poverty actually affect Hungarians across the country

Across Europe, millions of people are increasingly struggling to meet basic living needs that were once considered self-evident, such as heating their homes adequately and maintaining a balanced diet. And this form of poverty is a bigger and bigger concern in Hungary as well.

Hungarians are one of the most affected people in the European Union

Rising energy prices, falling real incomes and widening social disparities have combined to create a new form of everyday hardship. Hungary is among the countries most affected, with heating and food insecurity impacting a significant proportion of the population.

According to recent analyses discussed by CHART by Pénzcentrum, the European Union average shows that 9.2% of citizens cannot afford to heat their homes properly. However, this figure masks sharp regional differences.

In parts of southern Europe, including central Greece, around one in five people regularly live in cold homes during winter. By contrast, some regions of Poland report almost no heating-related deprivation, highlighting the role of housing quality, energy costs and effective support systems.

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Poverty in Hungary is, unfortunately, not an unknown phenomenon

Hungary’s situation is notably worse than the EU average. Estimates indicate that 12–14% of the population struggle to maintain adequate indoor temperatures, meaning roughly every eighth person faces serious financial pressure just to keep warm. This widespread vulnerability is largely structural rather than temporary.

A major contributing factor is Hungary’s ageing and energy-inefficient housing stock. Many homes suffer from poor insulation, outdated windows and obsolete heating systems, making them highly sensitive to rising utility costs. As a result, even small increases in energy prices can place an unbearable burden on households with limited incomes.

Previous data from Eurostat and the European Environment Agency confirm that poor residential energy efficiency remains one of the most pressing socio-economic challenges in Central and Eastern Europe.

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Food and heating poverty are the biggest threats

Heating poverty also carries serious health consequences. Prolonged exposure to low indoor temperatures increases the risk of respiratory illnesses, worsens chronic conditions and contributes to higher winter mortality. Elderly people, children and those with pre-existing health problems are particularly at risk, turning a financial issue into a public health concern.

Beyond heating, food insecurity is becoming an increasingly visible problem. CHART by Pénzcentrum data show that every twelfth EU citizen cannot afford to eat a protein-rich meal, such as meat or fish, every second day. While the most severe cases are found in Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, several Hungarian regions also exceed the EU average.

The Great Plain and Northern Hungary are especially affected, where low wages, weaker labour markets and limited access to affordable food intersect. International studies by the World Health Organization and the OECD support these findings, noting that the prices of healthy foods have risen faster than overall inflation, disproportionately affecting lower-income households.

Experts agree that tackling these issues requires coordinated and comprehensive policy responses. Improving housing energy efficiency, strengthening targeted social support and addressing food affordability must go hand in hand.

But without such an integrated approach, heating and food poverty risk becoming a permanent feature of everyday life in Hungary, quietly deepening social inequalities and undermining long-term public health and social cohesion.