A new survey of Irish adults conducted by Bpact Ireland reveals that the cost-of-living crisis is taking a profound toll on the mental health and daily wellbeing of people across Ireland, with the effects particularly acute among younger adults and women.
Women have more stress from cost pressures compared to men
According to the research, nearly 7 in 10 respondents (68.3%) report that rising living costs affect their mental well-being or stress levels to a moderate, large, or very large extent. Among adults aged under 35, nearly half (46.8%) rate the impact as large or very large, as do 46.5% of those aged 35 to 44. Women are significantly more affected than men: 42.4% of female respondents report high or very high stress from cost pressures, compared to 31.9% of male respondents.
Irish change their behaviour because of the rising cost of living
The consequences extend into tangible behavioural changes. More than half of all respondents have reduced their heating or energy use (53.6%), delayed major purchases (53.1%), and drawn down savings (50.8%). Cancellation of subscriptions affected 48% and 41% have switched from branded to own-label groceries. These figures underscore a pattern of sustained, widespread financial coping across Irish households.
Most alarmingly, 9.7% of respondents report having skipped meals due to cost pressures in the past twelve months. Among under-35s, this rises to 14.9%, representing a level of food insecurity that campaigners describe as unacceptable in a high-income economy.
Half of the Irish cannot easily cover a €1,000 unexpected expense
The survey also reveals a stark financial fragility: nearly half of respondents (48.5%) could not easily cover a €1,000 unexpected expense without difficulty or external borrowing. Among women, 8.1% report they would simply be unable to pay, compared to 4.0% of men.
About the survey
The Bpact Ireland Cost of Living Survey 2026 was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of 1,795 Irish residents between 1 and 20 April 2026, weighted by age, gender, and regional assembly area. The maximum margin of error is ±2.31%.
