EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses

Hungary had the highest people unable to face unexpected expenses of 27 EU countries in 2015, at 72.2%. Sweden had the lowest, at 19.8%. The median was 39.8% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 37.4%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

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Highest72.2Hungary
Lowest19.8Sweden
Median39.827 EU countries
European Union (27)37.4History

Map of EU countries, 2015

Austria: 22.6 %Belgium: 25.7 %Bulgaria: 53.4 %Cyprus: 60.5 %Czechia: 36 %Germany: 30.4 %Denmark: 26.5 %Estonia: 36.7 %Spain: 39.8 %Finland: 28.4 %France: 32.8 %Greece: 53.4 %Croatia: 59.8 %Hungary: 72.2 %Ireland: 50.2 %Italy: 39.9 %Lithuania: 53.2 %Luxembourg: 23 %Latvia: 60.4 %Malta: 21.4 %Netherlands: 22.9 %Poland: 42.3 %Portugal: 40.7 %Romania: 51.4 %Sweden: 19.8 %Slovenia: 42.9 %Slovakia: 36.7 %
  • Under 26
  • 26 to 36
  • 36 to 42
  • 42 to 53
  • 53 and over
%, 2015. Source: Eurostat, Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All EU countries, 2015

Hungary: 72.2 %Hungary72.2Cyprus: 60.5 %Cyprus60.5Latvia: 60.4 %Latvia60.4Croatia: 59.8 %Croatia59.8Bulgaria: 53.4 %Bulgaria53.4Greece: 53.4 %Greece53.4Lithuania: 53.2 %Lithuania53.2Romania: 51.4 %Romania51.4Ireland: 50.2 %Ireland50.2Slovenia: 42.9 %Slovenia42.9Poland: 42.3 %Poland42.3Portugal: 40.7 %Portugal40.7Italy: 39.9 %Italy39.9Spain: 39.8 %Spain39.8Estonia: 36.7 %Estonia36.7Slovakia: 36.7 %Slovakia36.7Czechia: 36 %Czechia36France: 32.8 %France32.8Germany: 30.4 %Germany30.4Finland: 28.4 %Finland28.4Denmark: 26.5 %Denmark26.5Belgium: 25.7 %Belgium25.7Luxembourg: 23 %Luxembourg23Netherlands: 22.9 %Netherlands22.9Austria: 22.6 %Austria22.6Malta: 21.4 %Malta21.4Sweden: 19.8 %Sweden19.8Hungary: 72.2 %Hungary72.2Cyprus: 60.5 %Cyprus60.5Latvia: 60.4 %Latvia60.4Croatia: 59.8 %Croatia59.8Bulgaria: 53.4 %Bulgaria53.4Greece: 53.4 %Greece53.4Lithuania: 53.2 %Lithuania53.2Romania: 51.4 %Romania51.4Ireland: 50.2 %Ireland50.2Slovenia: 42.9 %Slovenia42.9Poland: 42.3 %Poland42.3Portugal: 40.7 %Portugal40.7Italy: 39.9 %Italy39.9Spain: 39.8 %Spain39.8Estonia: 36.7 %Estonia36.7Slovakia: 36.7 %Slovakia36.7Czechia: 36 %Czechia36France: 32.8 %France32.8Germany: 30.4 %Germany30.4Finland: 28.4 %Finland28.4Denmark: 26.5 %Denmark26.5Belgium: 25.7 %Belgium25.7Luxembourg: 23 %Luxembourg23Netherlands: 22.9 %Netherlands22.9Austria: 22.6 %Austria22.6Malta: 21.4 %Malta21.4Sweden: 19.8 %Sweden19.8
%. Source: Eurostat, Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2015 (%)Change on 2014
1Hungary72.2-3.7 pts
2Cyprus60.5+0.7 pts
3Latvia60.4-7 pts
4Croatia59.8-3.9 pts
5Bulgaria53.4+3.8 pts
5Greece53.4+1.6 pts
7Lithuania53.2-1.5 pts
8Romania51.4-1.3 pts
9Ireland50.2-4.3 pts
10Slovenia42.9-2.9 pts
11Poland42.3-6.3 pts
12Portugal40.7-1.5 pts
13Italy39.9+1.1 pts
14Spain39.8-2.9 pts
15Estonia36.7-2.4 pts
15Slovakia36.7-2.2 pts
17Czechia36-4.8 pts
18France32.8-0.6 pts
19Germany30.4-2.2 pts
20Finland28.4+1.2 pts
21Denmark26.5-2 pts
22Belgium25.7+1.7 pts
23Luxembourg23-0.8 pts
24Netherlands22.9-0.8 pts
25Austria22.6-1.3 pts
26Malta21.4-3.2 pts
27Sweden19.8-0.6 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Share of the population living in households that cannot pay an unexpected but necessary expense from their own resources (EU-SILC, all household types and incomes). The amount is set for each country, close to the monthly at-risk-of-poverty threshold.

EU statistics on income and living conditions (EU-SILC). The reference year is the survey year. Self-reported by households; a share of people, not of households.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04) (EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table

MLA 9

Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04), EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015. Eurostat, European Commission, 17 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015.

Harvard

Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04), EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_countries_by_people_2015,
  author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
  title = {{Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc\_mdes04): EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc\_mdes04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc\_mdes04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Eurostat, European Commission
TI  - Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04): EU countries by people unable to face unexpected expenses, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/17
PB  - Eurostat, European Commission
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unable-to-face-unexpected-expenses/eu-countries?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_mdes04/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which EU country has the highest people unable to face unexpected expenses?

Hungary, with 72.2% in 2015, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest people unable to face unexpected expenses?

Sweden, with 19.8% in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Inability to face unexpected financial expenses, total population, all household types and incomes (ilc_mdes04). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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