Higher taxes have been in place in Slovakia for several months now, driving up prices. The introduction of a transaction tax in April pushed them up even further.
One of the sectors most affected is the catering, despite the fact that SNS chair Andrej Danko negotiated a reduced 5 percent VAT during talks on consolidating public finances.
In some districts, the average cost of lunch has approached €10 this year. The Košice Region is the most expensive in this respect, with an average lunch price of €9.57 in the first half of 2025. That’s nearly €0.60 more than during the same period last year.
Gradual price rise
Using data from its meal cards, Edenred analyses how much people spend on lunch each month. This includes not just the cost of the lunch menu itself, but also any extras such as water or coffee.
If someone in the Košice Region eats out 20 working days a month, they would spend €11 more on lunch this year compared to last. In 2024, the same amount would have bought them an extra meal and still covered a coffee.
“Increased lunch spending is a noticeable shift for many employees,” said Lívia Bachratá from Edenred.
According to her, people living in regions with fewer restaurants may feel the price rise more acutely, as they suddenly find themselves paying several cents more for the same meal.
