Ipsos: 76% blame conflicts for higher living costs in 33 countries
Only 38% of 23,531 respondents call their finances comfortable, while 70% expect higher energy bills within six months, according to the survey Ipsos published Oct. 22.
- Ipsos found 38% of respondents in 33 countries feel financially comfortable, 32% are just getting by and 27% find it difficult.
- Conflict is the biggest driver of higher living costs at 76%, and 70% expect to pay more for energy within six months.
- Official data point the same way: U.S. inflation was 3.7% in September and UK inflation 3.5%, up from 3.1% in August.
Share of adults who say they are financially comfortable or alright, %, Ipsos Cost of Living Monitor 2026, survey published Oct. 22, 2026
Ipsos said on Oct. 22 that 38% of 23,531 adults surveyed across 33 countries feel financially comfortable or alright, according to its Cost of Living Monitor 2026.
Conflict and energy bills top the list of worries
Conflicts around the world and their consequences are the biggest factor driving the cost of living up, at 76%, according to Ipsos.
Looking ahead, 70% expect to pay more for energy and utilities over the next six months, and 65% think inflation will not return to normal until after next year or never, Ipsos said.
Financial comfort fell most in Great Britain
In Great Britain, 44% are comfortable or alright, down 8 percentage points from a year earlier, the biggest fall of any country surveyed, according to the full Ipsos report.
In the U.S., 35% expect their disposable income to fall over the next year and 24% expect it to rise, the report shows.
The spread between countries is wide. Sweden leads at 63% comfortable or alright, while Argentina is lowest at 13%, with 60% finding it difficult.
Official inflation data matches the mood
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said the all-items index rose 3.7% over the 12 months to September, before seasonal adjustment, in its September consumer price release.
UK consumer prices rose 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August, according to the Office for National Statistics.
A Bank for International Settlements paper adds a forward view.
As of May 2026, author Ricardo Reis estimated the Iran conflict could raise inflation by about 1.5-2 percentage points in total during 2026 and 2027, in BIS Working Paper 1384 published Oct. 19.
Report in numbers
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortable or alright, 33-country average | 38% | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Ipsos |
| Just about getting by | 32% | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Ipsos |
| Find it difficult | 27% | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Ipsos |
| Comfortable minus difficult | 11 percentage points | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Our calculation: 38% - 27% |
| Conflict named as top cost driver | 76% | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Ipsos |
| Expect higher energy bills in six months | 70% | Fieldwork late Aug. to early Sept. 2026 | Ipsos |
| U.S. CPI, 12 months | 3.7% | September 2026 | BLS |
| UK CPI, 12 months | 3.5% | September 2026 | ONS |
Caption: Ipsos survey of 23,531 adults in 33 countries, published Oct. 22, 2026; the 11-point gap is our calculation.
The survey measures sentiment, not spending
Ipsos interviewed adults online, about 500 to 1,000 per country, weighted to census demographics. The margin of error is ±3.5 points at 1,000 respondents and ±5.0 at 500.
The report gives two slightly different fieldwork ranges, so this article says only late August to early September 2026. It also gives no 33-country prior-year figure, so the 38% cannot be read as a change.
Next official inflation readings are due in November
The BLS is scheduled to publish October U.S. consumer prices on Nov. 10, 2026. The ONS lists its next UK inflation bulletin for Nov. 18, 2026.
Those releases will show whether the price pressure behind the survey answers is easing in official data.
How we reported this: we opened the Ipsos page and PDF, the BLS and ONS releases and BIS Working Paper 1384 on Oct. 27, 2026. The 11-point gap is our calculation: 38% - 27%. Survey answers measure opinion, not prices.
Source: www.ipsos.com