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A growing number of Austrians are entering the new year with mounting concerns about inflation and the rising cost of living, according to a new IMAS study. One in four citizens no longer believes the economy will recover within the next two years.
The survey shows that around 60 percent of respondents are deeply worried about inflation, making it the country’s most pressing concern. This is followed by anxieties over immigration (45 percent) and the overall economic situation (44 percent). Confidence in an economic rebound remains low: a quarter of Austrians expect recovery only in 2028 or later, while 14 percent foresee improvement in the first half of 2027 and another 14 percent believe it will not happen at all.
Economic Optimism Continues to Decline
The perception that economic growth is drifting further out of reach has intensified. The share of people who expect recovery only after three years or more has risen by four percentage points compared to the previous year. In 2023, only 19 percent held such a pessimistic view.
Particularly striking is the doubling of those who believe economic recovery is no longer realistic: 14 percent at the end of 2025, compared to 7 percent the year before. While 41 percent still considered a recovery by the end of 2027 possible, this marks a significant drop from late 2024, when 51 percent expected improvement by the end of 2026.
Concerns about inflation and high living costs have also intensified, with eight and six percent more people respectively reporting discomfort compared to the previous year.
Health Remains the Nation’s Top Wish for 2026
Despite economic worries, Austrians’ personal hopes for the new year remain grounded in familiar priorities. In an open-ended question, nearly one quarter of respondents said their greatest wish for 2026 is simply good health for themselves and their families.
Other aspirations include:
- 17 percent hoping for an improvement in their personal living situation
- 12 percent wishing for academic or professional success
- 12 percent longing for an end to inflation
- 9 percent hoping to travel
- 9 percent wishing for an end to ongoing wars
Health has consistently topped the list in recent years—at the end of 2023, nearly one third of Austrians named it their primary wish. Meanwhile, the desire for global peace has declined sharply: from 21 percent in 2023 to 17 percent in 2024, and now 9 percent in 2025.
About the Study
IMAS conducted the survey among 1,022 Austrians aged 16 and older, using face‑to‑face interviews between 5 and 26 November 2025. The sample is statistically representative of the national population.
- Hector Pascua with reports from 5minuten.at/picture:
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