Hungary remains the second poorest country in the European Union in terms of actual individual consumption (AIC) according to Eurostat data for 2022. The Hungarian population spent 71% of the EU average on consumption, which is an improvement of one percentage point compared to 2021.
The Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) reflects the vallue of all goods and services actually consumed by households. It includes consumer goods and services purchased directly by households, as well as services provided by non-profit institutions and the government for individual consumption (e.g., health and education services).
The latest data also shows that Romania has pulled away from Hungary considerably: Romanians spent 86% of the EU average on consumption, which is two percentage points more than in 2021. In the region, Croatia was at 76 percent, Slovakia at 77 percent, the Czech Republic at 83 percent and Poland at 87 percent.
The population of Bulgaria is still the poorest in the EU, having spent 69 percent of the EU average on goods and services. However, their per capita consumption indicator has also improved compared to 2021, by four percentage points.
Luxembourg continues to top the chart, with consumption spending 38% above the EU average, followed by Austria and Germany (18-18% above the EU average).
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