Inflation at 10.9% in May: Major Impact on Pensioners' and Elderly People's Budgets

The inflation rate reached 10.9% in May 2026, according to official data, representing a significant increase that particularly affects seniors and pensioners in Romania. For this vulnerable segment of the population, which relies largely on fixed incomes, the sweeping price rises are dramatically eroding purchasing power.

The sectors recording the steepest price increases — electricity, natural gas, fuel, and rent — have a direct and disproportionate impact on older people. They spend more time at home and require consistent heating, making energy bills an ever-growing financial burden on their limited budgets.

For seniors who rent their homes or live in private care homes, rising rents represent a major challenge. Many cannot afford to adapt their living arrangements to the new economic realities, and are forced to make compromises on their quality of life.

The rising cost of medical services and medicines, which is part of the broader price increase, places additional pressure on older people who require ongoing medical care. They face difficult choices between essential treatments and other basic necessities.

Food — an essential category for seniors with specific dietary needs — continues to become more expensive, forcing many pensioners to reduce both the quality and quantity of their meals. For older people with chronic conditions requiring special diets, these price rises can have serious consequences for their health.

Experts are advising seniors to plan their budgets carefully and to make use of available social support programmes in order to cope with this period of high inflation, which appears set to continue in the months ahead.