Increases in price lists in catering establishments, taverns and restaurants and cafes seem to be a common phenomenon, a situation that did not start this year, but became more pronounced, as they were preceded by continuous increases in 2022 and 2021.
The latest data from the Statistical Service are revealing about how much prices have become more expensive if someone wants to go out of their home and enjoy some things, for which until a few years ago they did not care where their prices were. After all, it is also a topic of discussion among consumers, as high prices have limited outings, especially if they are families.
Admittedly, the reason for the price increases is due to the cost of raw materials, energy prices, with the burden of price increases inevitably passing on to the consumer. The price index of restaurants and similar full-service establishments increased in May 4% year-on-year while last year it was 5%. The data show that the increases have been continuous in recent years, as in 2024 the increase was 6.4%, in 2023 it was 3.9% while in 2022 it was 7.3% and in 2021 at 0.6%. Prices in canteens and canteens in May increased by 2.9% while in May 2025 they were 4.4%. And in this category, price increases are continuous every year. In 2024 it was 3.7%, in 2023 it was 3% while in 2022 it was 7.3%. On the contrary, in 2021 there was a decline of 1.3% in the price index.
The price index for alcoholic beverages rose 1.5% in May year-on-year. More specifically, the price of wine increased by 1% on an annual basis, while last year there was a decrease of 3.8%. In 2024 the price increase was 0.4% and in 2023 it reached 7.6%. The beer price index shows several fluctuations. According to the data of the Statistical Service, in May 2026 there was an increase of 1.65%, in 2024 and 2023 a decline of 2.7% and 2.9% on the contrary. On the contrary, in May 2022 the increase in price was 9.1% and in 2021 at 0.7%. The increases also hit the prices of soft drinks. The price index in May showed an increase of 5.8%, in 2024 while in 2023, 2022 and 2021 it was 5.9%, 13.2% and 7.7% respectively. Not even the prices of fruit and vegetable juices were spared from high prices. In May 2026 the annual increase was 3.6%, in 2024 it was 2.9% and in 2023, 2022, 2021 the appreciation was 4%, 11.2% and 7.4% respectively. The price of coffee and coffee substitutes has become quite expensive, with the rise in the price index in May being 12.7% year-on-year, in 2025 it was 10.5% while in 2024 it decreased by 3.4%. In 2023 and 2022 the increase in price was quite large and reached 15.4% and 13.9% respectively, while in 2021 the price index fell by 3.7%.
Going out is not only food or a drink but also various other activities. For example, the accommodation price index (hotels, motels) increased by 3.4% in May on an annual basis and there was a decline in prices of 4.5% in 2025, while in May 2024 and 2023 the price increases in accommodation services were 10.5% and 16.3% respectively. In 2021, the index fell 13.4%. The price index of organized holidays appreciated by 12.5% in May compared to an increase of 16.3% and 5.5% in 2024. In 2023 the appreciation was 5.8%. In 2022 there was zero change and in 2021 the increase was 4%.
Because there is a lot of discussion about how expensive air tickets were due to energy costs, let's see how much the increase was in May on an annual basis. The price index for air passenger transport increased 8.6% in contrast to 2025 which fell by 7.9%. In May 2024, an increase of 3.5% was recorded, in 2023 there was a decline of 5.2% and in 2022 there was an increase of 6%.
