South Africa’s inflation has been quite stable for the past years, levelling off between 3.2 and 6.9 percent, and is in fact expected to stabilize at around 4.5 percent in the future. South Africa is a mixed economy, generating most of its GDP through the services sector, especially tourism. However, the country struggles with unemployment and poverty. Inflation who?The inflation rate of a country is an important key factor to determine the country’s economic strength. It is calculated using the price increase of a defined product basket, containing goods and services on which the average consumer spends money throughout the year. They include, for example, expenses for groceries, clothes, rent, utilities, but also recreational activities, and raw materials (e.g. gas, oil), as well as federal fees and taxes. Some of these goods are more volatile than others – food prices, for example, are considered less reliable. The European Central Bank aims to keep inflation at around two percent in the long run. What happened in 2016?In 2016, South Africa’s inflation rate peaked at over 6.3 percent, and gross domestic product, and thus economic growth , took a hit, a sure indicator that something was affecting the country’s economic scaffolding: Low growth due to weak demand and an uncertain political future caused a crisis; then-President Jacob Zuma’s alleged mismanagement and unstable reign steeped in controversy and criminal charges even caused the economy’s outlook to be downgraded by ratings agencies. Zuma was relieved of his office in 2018 – ever since, inflation, GDP, and economic growth seem to have stabilized.

Inflation Rate in South Africa increased to 3.60 percent in October from 3.40 percent in September of 2025. This dataset provides - South Africa Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The average inflation rate in Southern Africa was projected at ***** percent in 2022. This represented a decrease in comparison to the previous years. In 2020, the rate reached a peak at ** percent.

Cost of food in South Africa increased 3.90 percent in October of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

As of June 2020, the projected inflation rate in South Africa for the same year was revised to *** percent, after the fallout of the coronavirus outbreak. The projection was done under the assumption of a worst-case scenario, where the pandemic persists to the end of 2020. Before the occurrence of COVID-19, the inflation rate was expected at *** percent.

On the other hand, the inflation rate for 2021 was reviewed to *** percent, in a worst-case scenario, whereas the previous outlook (before the pandemic) was at five percent.

This dataset provides values for INFLATION RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Key information about South Africa Core CPI Change

• South Africa Core CPI Change was reported at 3.100 % in Oct 2025.
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.206 % for Sep 2025.
• South Africa Core CPI Change data is updated monthly, averaging 4.762 % from Jan 2009 to Oct 2025, with 202 observations.
• The data reached an all-time high of 8.457 % in May 2009 and a record low of 2.497 % in Mar 2021.
• South Africa Core CPI Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by CEIC Data.
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Global Economic Monitor – Table: Core CPI: Y-o-Y Growth: Monthly.

CEIC calculates Core Consumer Price Index Growth from monthly Core Consumer Price Index. Statistics South Africa provides Core Consumer Price Index Growth with base December 2024=100. Core Consumer Price Index covers Urban areas only as it is the official index used for inflation calculation in South Africa. Core Consumer Price Index excludes Food, Non Alcoholic Beverages, Petrol and Energy.

Core consumer prices in South Africa increased 3.10 percent in October of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Core Inflation Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Abstract

The CPI is a current social and economic indicator constructed to measure changes over time in the general level of prices of consumer goods and services that households acquire, use, or pay for. The index measures changes in consumer prices over time by measuring the cost of purchasing a fixed basket of consumer goods and services of constant quality and similar characteristics. The products in the basket are selected to be representative of households' expenditure during a specific year. Such an index is called a fixed-basket price index. Changes in the index reflect the effects of price changes on the cost of achieving a constant standard of living.

The South African CPI has three equally important objectives: 1. To measure inflation in the economy so that macroeconomic policy is based on comprehensive and up-to-date price information. 2. To measure changes in the cost of living of South African households to promote equity in measures taken to adjust wages, grants, service agreements and contracts. 3. To provide a deflator for consumer expenditure in the national accounts and other economic data, to compute volume (as opposed to nominal) estimates.

In compiling the South African CPI, Stats SA largely follows the methodology guidelines in the 2020 Consumer Price Index Manual: Concepts and Methods published jointly by the International Monetary Fund, International Labour Organization, Statistical Office of the European Union, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and World Bank.

Kind of data

Time-Series

As of July 2024, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 123.5 points regarding food products. This is symbolizing an increase of five points from the previous year.

Consumer Price Index CPI in South Africa increased to 103.50 points in October from 103.40 points in September of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Consumer Price Index (CPI) - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The benchmark interest rate in South Africa was last recorded at 6.75 percent. This dataset provides - South Africa Interest Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of March 2020, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 123.9 points regarding petrol. This is symbolizing an increase of 6.5 points from the previous year.

Kenya's inflation rate decreased to 3.6 percent in September 2024. The indicator measure price variations in goods and services compared to the same month one year earlier. In September 2023, inflation in Kenya stood at 6.8 percent. The current country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.26 percent compared to the previous month, mainly due to higher prices in food and transport. For 2023, projections indicated that the annual average inflation for Kenya would be above above the rate projected in other African countries, such as South Africa and Tanzania, at almost eight percent. Inflation accelerated by food prices Kenyans feel the inflation effects mostly on groceries since food and non-alcoholic beverages account for roughly one-third of the household expenditure. As of May 2022, the category recorded a surge in prices of 12.4 percent. Furthermore, a deep look into food prices variations in Kenya reveals that vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses were 20 percent more expensive in 2020, compared to 2019. Fruits and nuts recorded an inflation rate of 18.2 percent in the same period. Impacts on food security Fluctuating food prices in Kenya also depend on the varying domestic agricultural output. Particularly, when weather conditions are unfavorable, crop outputs are affected and, consequently, food prices increase - a scenario contributing to the persistence of food insecurity. For instance, around eight million people lacked sufficient food for consumption in Kenya as of November 2021.

In 2024, projections show that ***** out of the **** African regions will have an increased growth margin as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to 2023, showing hope for economic recovery post-COVID-19 restrictions. In 2023, the region of East Africa is projected to have the highest share of GDP growth in Africa. It will have an estimated **** percent growth rate. Furthermore, compared to the 2022 projections, 2023 showed decreased growth rate, with the exception of West Africa. However, the growth rate may now be decreasing in 2023 compared to 2022 projections due to a number of factors, including a decrease in government stimulus, ongoing uncertainty related to the pandemic, and the potential for economic headwinds such as rising inflation and interest rates. In 2021, Africa's economy was projected to recover following the impact of the pandemic, with the regional real GDPs growing significantly. In 2020, Southern Africa registered the sharpest decline in GDP growth rate in the continent, at **** percent. Southern and Central Africa were the regions that suffered the most in that year, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic's impacts on economic growth in Africa.

As of March 2020, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change of prices over time, was measured at 127.8 points regarding water and other services. This is symbolizing an increase of 8.7 points from the previous year.

Inflation in Zimbabwe rose to 10.61 percent in 2018, and is projected to jump dramatically to 736.11 percent in 2024. After that, estimates predict a slow decline for now - however, given Zimbabwe’s history of poor monetary policy, including one of the worst instances of hyperinflation, this seems unrealistic. Inflation history Inflation depends significantly on economic expectations of it, making it hard to reduce inflation once it has hit higher levels. This happened in Zimbabwe in the years approaching 2008, at the end of which a single U.S. dollar was worth over 2.6 trillion Zimbabwe dollars, up from 10,000 Zimbabwe dollars at the start of 2005. This all but destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy, leading to very low gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and a government struggling to finance itself. The way ahead In 2009, the Zimbabwean dollar had twelve zeros slashed from the banknotes. This was not enough, and after three decades of rule, former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe was removed from power at the end of 2017. Citizens of the country are trying to hold foreign banknotes; they prefer U.S. dollars or euros, but the South African rand is more common. However, the rand’s performance against other currencies has been lackluster in recent years. This underscores the struggle that the Zimbabwean people have to find a stable currency at the moment.

As of July 2024, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in South Africa, an economic indicator providing information on the change in prices over time, was measured at 115.7 points regarding alcoholic beverages and tobacco. This is symbolizing an increase of 4.2 points from the same month in the previous year.

The youth unemployment rate of South Africa was over ** percent in 2024, the highest of any G20 country. Italy followed with a youth unemployment rate of **** percent. In contrast, Japan's youth unemployment rate was the lowest at only 3*** percent. Economic crisis in Argentina At ***** percent, youth unemployment in Argentina falls third out of the G20 nations. The Argentinian economy was hit by a recession beginning in 2022, with an average inflation rate of nearly ** percent that year, jumping to over *** percent in 2023. Such staggering inflation has hit Argentinian consumers hard, with the average consumer price index going from nearly *** in 2021 to ***** in 2022, before increasing to nearly ***** in 2023. While youth unemployment has fallen in Argentina since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, factors such as skyrocketing inflation make getting by difficult for many. Inequality in South Africa With a youth unemployment rate of just over 6* percent, South Africa stands out from the rest of the G20 nations. Thirty years after the end of Apartheid, South Africa is considered one the most unequal country in the world. Using the Gini Index, which measures income inequality with zero representing totally equal distribution and one representing unequal distribution, South Africa has a score of ****, higher than any other nation. Poverty and inequality are a major concern for South Africans, with over ** percent of survey respondents expressing worry over the issue in January 2024, a slight decrease from a recent peak of ** percent in August 2023.