The income threshold for a LOW-INCOME household is defined at 50% of the median income. In 2026, this threshold for the first or only person in the household is 425 euros, and for each subsequent household member, it is 298 euros.
In turn, the income threshold for a LOW-INCOME household may be set independently by each municipality, but not higher than 80% of the median income and not lower than the threshold for a low-income household.
The maximum income threshold for a low-income household in 2026 is 680 euros for the first or only person in the household and 476 euros for each subsequent family member.
Latvia Surpasses Germany and the Netherlands in Costliness
According to Eurostat data, in 2024, the highest food prices in the EU were recorded in Luxembourg. Latvia ranked 14th in this rating.
In Luxembourg, the cost of food was 126% of the EU average - the highest figure. This is followed by Denmark, Ireland, France, Malta, and Austria.
Finland ranks seventh in this rating, while Sweden is eighth. Estonia is in ninth place: the food price level here is 105.3% of the average in the European Union.
The cost of food in Belgium, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy is only slightly lower than the Estonian price level.
In Latvia, food costs 103%, while in Lithuania it is 99% of the EU average. In Germany, it is 102.9%, and in the Netherlands, it is 97%.
The cheapest food is in Romania, where its cost is 75% of the average European level. Food prices are also below 90% of the EU average in Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
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