Inflation Rate in South Africa remained unchanged at 2.80 percent in May. This dataset provides - South Africa Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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 102.10 points in May from 101.90 points in April 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.

Key information about South Africa Consumer Price Index CPI growth

• South Africa Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth was measured at 6.8 % YoY in Apr 2023, compared with a rate of 7.1 % in the previous month.
• South Africa Consumer Price Index growth data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1958 to Apr 2023, with an averaged number of 6.3 % YoY.
• The data reached an all-time high of 20.9 % YoY in Jan 1986 and a record low of -2.0 % YoY in Jan 2004.

CEIC calculates Consumer Price Index Growth from monthly Consumer Price Index. Statistics South Africa provides Consumer Price Index with base December 2021=100. Consumer Price Index covers Urban areas only as it is the official index used for inflation calculation in South Africa. Consumer Price Index Growth prior to January 2009 is sourced from the International Monetary Fund. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

In 2024, Zambia had the highest estimated inflation (Consumer Price Index) recorded in Southern Africa, at 15 percent. Lesotho and Zimbabwe followed with 6.4 and six percent, respectively.

SARB Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data was reported at 5.400 % in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.600 % for 2019. SARB Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data is updated yearly, averaging 5.350 % from Dec 2017 (Median) to 2020, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.600 % in 2019 and a record low of 4.800 % in 2018. SARB Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by South African Reserve Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.I029: Consumer Price Index: Year on Year Growth: Forecast: South African Reserve Bank.

Cost of food in South Africa increased 4.80 percent in May 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.

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.

Key information about South Africa Core CPI Change

• South Africa Core CPI Change was reported at 3.512 % in Jan 2025.
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.520 % for Dec 2024.
• South Africa Core CPI Change data is updated monthly, averaging 4.552 % from Jan 2009 to Jan 2025, with 193 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 percent in May 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.

BER Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data was reported at 5.400 % in 2020. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.700 % for 2019. BER Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data is updated yearly, averaging 5.350 % from Dec 2017 (Median) to 2020, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5.700 % in 2019 and a record low of 4.700 % in 2018. BER Forecast: Consumer Price Index: YoY data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau for Economic Research. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Africa – Table ZA.I030: Consumer Price Index: Year on Year Growth: Forecast: Bureau for Economic Research.

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.

Key information about South Africa Producer Price Index Growth

• South Africa Producer Price Index (PPI) grew 1.1 % YoY in Jan 2025, compared with a growth of 0.7 % YoY in the previous month.
• South Africa Producer Price Index data is updated monthly, available from Jan 2013 to Jan 2025, with an average change of 5.5 % YoY.
• The data reached an all-time high of 18.0 % YoY in Jul 2022 and a record low of -0.7 % YoY in Oct 2024.

CEIC calculates Producer Price Index Growth from monthly Producer Price Index. Statistics South Africa provides Producer Price Index with base December 2023=100. Producer Price Index Growth covers Final Manufactured Goods only.

The inflation rate in Namibia decreased by about one percentage point from 4.29 percent in 2018 to 3.72 percent in 2019. It is projected to remain around 4.5 percent through 2030, significantly lower than the 2002 peak of 12.72 percent. Namibia’s historical context Prior to 1990, Namibia was under apartheid South Africa control, and before World War I, the country was a German colony and even suffered a genocide. Given this turbulent oppression, it is expected that social and economic residual ramifications would follow. Namibia’s inflation rate went through a volatile period during the 1990’s and early 2000’s where it reached around twelve percent several times. Over the past decade, Namibia’s inflation rate has largely declined. Namibia’s successful growth Similarly, Namibia’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained under five billion U.S. dollars through the 1990’s. Since then, the country’s GDP has grown to about 14 billion U.S. dollars as of 2019 and will continue to grow through the upcoming years. Namibia’s increasing economic success is in part linked to developing its services industry. Today, the services sector is responsible for employing about 60 percent of the country’s working population. A well-developed services industry is usually a sign of a similarly well-developed economy. The services sector includes the growing tourist industry with an expanding focus on ecotourism, centered around the country’s endangered wildlife.

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.

South Africa scored 41 points out of 100 on the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - South Africa Corruption Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.