More and more Romanians say they are worse off: low incomes and rising prices are the main concern

A new survey shows that Romanians' perception of their own wellbeing has deteriorated significantly compared to last year. According to the second edition of the Barometer of Romanians' Wellbeing Perception, conducted by IRES for ABS – Alianța pentru BunăStare, the Wellbeing Perception Index fell in 2026 to 6.2 points out of 10, down from 6.4 points the previous year.

Approximately 55% of those surveyed believe their overall wellbeing has declined, whilst only 16% say their situation has improved. These results fall well short of last year's expectations, when 51% of participants believed things would get better.

Regarding personal quality of life over the past year, nearly 32% of respondents say it has declined, compared to just 19% in the previous edition of the study. Around 18% feel their lives have improved (compared to 23% last year), whilst almost half say their standard of living has remained unchanged.

Money, the primary source of dissatisfaction

The sharpest drop in satisfaction was recorded in the financial domain: the satisfaction rate regarding personal income fell from 6.1 to 5.5 points, the largest decline among all measured indicators.

Romanians are also less optimistic about their ability to afford comfortable housing — that indicator dropped from 5.7 to 5.4 points. Satisfaction with professional development opportunities in the workplace also declined, from 6.9 to 6.6 points.

Financial pressure outweighs corruption as a concern

Approximately 60% of respondents say that low incomes and high prices or taxes are the main obstacles to a better life, up from 55% in 2025. As a result, financial difficulties have become the number one priority, overtaking corruption and the lack of transparency in public institutions.

Alexandru Ciuncan, President and Chief Executive of UNSAR, commented on the findings: "The results of this new edition show how quickly the perception of wellbeing can shift when people feel greater pressure on their incomes and financial security. This vulnerability is further confirmed by the population's protection gap, which has reached an average of 165,400 RON per household."

The protection gap refers to the difference between the resources a household would need to maintain its standard of living in the event of an unforeseen circumstance and the funds it actually has available.

The UNSAR statement further notes: "Wellbeing means more than income alone; however, financial stability is one of the conditions that enables access to education, healthcare, and adequate housing, and helps us cope more effectively with unexpected situations."

ABS – Alianța pentru BunăStare is a platform initiated by UNSAR, bringing together companies, organisations, public institutions, and experts, with the aim of monitoring the factors that influence quality of life in Romania and tracking how these evolve from year to year.