15.01.2024

60% OF ROMANIANS ARE SATISFIED AND VERY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THEY LIVE, 6% ARE HUNGRY, ACCORDING TO A SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY

Almost two-thirds (60%) of Romanians declare that they are satisfied and very satisfied with the way they live, with only 5% saying they have everything they need and 6% saying they are starving, the results of study by the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy (IRES).

The sociological research published at the end of last year highlights that compared to the survey carried out in 2022, the degree of life satisfaction has risen and if last December 41% of Romanians said they were satisfied and very satisfied with the way they live, currently 60% of respondents say the same.

The satisfaction of young people and those living in cities is higher than average, while people with low education and those living in the Moldova region of eastern Romania are more dissatisfied with their standard of living, but only 5% of survey participants say that they have everything they need and can afford to buy anything they want. One in 10 Romanians say they have a hard time, and over a quarter of those surveyed admit they have only the bare necessities.

65% of those surveyed said they had reduced their spending on non-food essentials, 63% said they had stopped buying certain food brands they used to use because they had become more expensive, and 56% were refused to buy various food products due to lack of money. More than a quarter of those surveyed said they had to postpone paying a utility bill (water, gas, electricity, etc.).

Just over a third of survey participants (37%) say they managed to save money in 2023 (compared to 46% in 2022), three out of 10 Romanians borrowed money from other family members, one in five borrowed from friends or acquaintances, and 16% borrowed from a bank. In addition, more than a quarter of those surveyed said they currently have outstanding debt (including loans), and 19% said they were owed money by various people.

More than 40% of Romanians went on holiday this year, one third traveled abroad, one in five Romanians traveled by plane in 2023.

In terms of health, according to the survey, seven out of 10 Romanians said they had gone to a medical examination, and 22% said they had been hospitalized.

At the same time, 34% feel lonely, 28% think they need help but don't get it, 28% feel the need to talk to someone close, but have no one to talk to, and a quarter of respondents need help, but don't have any who to turn to.

One in ten Romanians has visited a psychologist, with 68% of those surveyed saying they experienced stress during the year.

According to the research of the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy, 16% of respondents claimed that in 2023 they were victims of verbal violence on the street.

The survey was conducted between December 12 and 19, 2023 using the CATI method among 1,075 adults. The study is representative of the elderly, non-institutionalized population in Romania and has a maximum margin of error of plus/minus 3%. It is part of the social responsibility program of the Romanian Institute for Evaluation and Strategy and was carried out with own funds.