Hungary’s annual inflation rate climbed to 2.0% in October 2026, up from 1.6% in September, registering its highest level since April. The acceleration was mainly driven by higher prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (3.2% year-on-year, compared with 3.3% in September) and for consumer durables (1.4% vs 1.2%). Inflation also picked up for other goods, including fuels (4.1% vs 2.8%), as well as for services (5.2% vs 4.9%).
In contrast, prices continued to fall for several categories: food (-1.1% vs -1.3%), clothing (-0.6% vs -0.4%), and household energy (-4.3% vs -4.0%).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 0.4% in October, up from a 0.2% increase in September, marking the sharpest monthly gain in six months. Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, stood at 2.1% year-on-year and 0.3% month-on-month.
