Half of Brazilians face insecurity, poor health and late bills

Summary
Half of Brazilians perceive a deterioration in their quality of life in 2025, with dissatisfaction with health, safety, the economy and returning to in-person work, in addition to distrust of politics and the impact of climate events.

The mood of Brazilians in 2025 is tired, pessimistic and frustrated with their routine. This is what reveals a new study by Hibou, an institute specializing in consumer monitoring and insight, which surveyed 1,433 people across the country. In the midst of a year marked by political conflicts, changes in the labor market, climate instability and an economy that is trying to show signs of strength, daily life for the population remains difficult. Brazilians do not feel relief in their pockets, do not believe that this policy will bring real changes and see a constant worsening of essential issues such as safety, health and work habits.

Returning to the office has become a source of irritation

The reduction in working from home remains a sensitive point of the year. For half the population, working more in person makes life worse for the worker. Discontent is exploding among young people aged 16 to 34, a group in which 63% negatively evaluate the return to face-to-face activities.

Only 21% believe that their routine improves with the traditional model and this percentage increases especially among respondents aged over 45, who see more advantages than disadvantages. The difference between generations reveals profoundly different attitudes regarding quality of life, flexibility and time.

Health and safety top national concern

The perception of health care is also mostly negative. Adding the dissatisfied and very dissatisfied, 52% say the service is less than necessary, while only 17% are satisfied or very satisfied. In spontaneous reports, the price of packages, the difficulty of making an appointment and waiting times appear as recurring causes of frustration.

In terms of public security, the scenario is no longer encouraging. For 39% of Brazilians, the situation is much worse than before, and 17% say it has gotten a little worse, for a total of 56% who see the situation getting worse. Only 14% see progress. The feeling of insecurity adds to the unfavorable economic environment and political distrust, reinforcing the portrait of a country under emotional pressure.

Politics no longer affects anyone

The arrest of former President Jair Bolsonaro after tampering with his ankle bracelet, an episode that made the news, did not change the majority’s political views. For 49% of those questioned, this affair simply does not change anything. 16% say that prison worsens their perception and 11% say it improves it, but these extremes do not affect the general picture: disinterest prevails. Among older people, 24% say this episode worsens their view of politics. Among young people, 13% believe that this is improving.

According to Lígia Mello, CSO at Hibou, the data reveals a state of saturation. “Events previously considered capable of changing the mood of voters do not have the same impact. The population is exhausted by repeated crises and has lost all hope of transformation.”

Official inflation falls, but reality does not follow

The pocket remains pressed. Half of Brazilians say their money is the same or worse than before, even with inflation slowing. Only 8% believe that their purchasing power has improved. The impact appears directly in the monthly financial organization: 45% are late on their bills and 35% pay everything, but with difficulty. Only 17% manage to keep their budget up to date without constraints.

The impression that everything has become more expensive is even stronger in the supermarket. For 52% of those questioned, prices have increased significantly in recent months. 26% say they have increased slightly. The decline was only noted by 12% and, even then, at a slight level. The same trend is found in the electricity bill, which has increased a lot for 37% of Brazilians and a little for 36%.

More expensive light, higher expenses

Another villain of the household budget in 2025 is the electricity bill. For 37% of those surveyed, this consumption has increased a lot recently, and 36% have also recorded an increase, making 73% of Brazilians feel high electricity consumption. The pressure on basic expenses reinforces the feeling of economic exhaustion, as energy, food and essential services are the first to affect the financial situation of families.

Technology to make life easier

Artificial intelligence, increasingly present in daily life, arouses mixed feelings. For 47% of Brazilians, AI makes life easier, a lot or a little, but for 18% it complicates it. Among young people, the positive perception is stronger: 24% of 16-34 year olds say that technology greatly facilitates their daily life. The contrast appears among older people, where the proportion of those who do not know how to evaluate their impact increases, indicating that familiarity with new tools still has a long way to go before becoming homogeneous.

The study also investigated the possible arrival in Brazil of laws similar to those in the United States, which restrict the repair of electronic devices outside of authorized assistance centers. For 59% of those surveyed, this change would make repairs more expensive, and 21% believe that they would be forced to change devices more frequently. The data reflect, according to Lígia, a clear fear of increased spending in an already tight scenario. “Brazilians are very vigilant about their spending. Any change suggesting new expenses or a loss of autonomy increases the feeling of financial insecurity,” he comments.

The climate worries, but COP30 did not convince

The perception of extreme weather events is almost unanimous: 88% of Brazilians believe that storms, windstorms and floods are a direct consequence of climate change. Denial is minimal. Nevertheless, skepticism towards COP30 is great. Only 18% believe that the event will bring benefits to the country. For 36%, there will be no impact. And for 26%, the conference could even deteriorate Brazil’s image. The population understands the problem, but does not consider major international agendas as a path to solutions.