Inflation in Zimbabwe rose to 10.61 percent in 2018, and is projected to jump dramatically to 577.21 percent in 2020. 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.

The Consumer Price Index in Zimbabwe increased 0.50 percent in February of 2025 over the previous month. This dataset provides - Zimbabwe Inflation Rate MoM- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

According to latest figures published by the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the average annual inflation rate in China ranged at around 0.2 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. This was lower than formerly expected by the IMF. For 2025, projections by the IMF published in October 2024 expected the inflation rate to reach around 1.7 percent. The monthly inflation rate in China dropped to negative values in the second half of 2023 and remained comparatively low in 2024. Calculation of inflation The inflation rate is calculated based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for China. The CPI is computed using a product basket that contains a predefined range of products and services on which the average consumer spends money throughout the year. Included are expenses for groceries, clothes, rent, power, telecommunications, recreational activities, and raw materials (e.g. gas, oil), as well as federal fees and taxes. The product basked is adjusted every five years to reflect changes in consumer preference and has been updated in 2020 for the last time. The inflation rate is then calculated using changes in the CPI. As the inflation of a country is seen as a key economic indicator, it is frequently used for international comparison. China's inflation in comparison Among the main industrialized and emerging economies worldwide, China displayed comparatively low inflation in 2023 and 2024. In previous years, China's inflation ranged marginally above the inflation rates of established industrialized powerhouses such as the United States or the European Union. However, this changed in 2021, as inflation rates in developed countries rose quickly, while prices in China only increased moderately. According to IMF estimates for 2024, Zimbabwe was expected to be the country with the highest inflation rate, with a consumer price increase of about 561 percent compared to 2023. In 2023, Turkmenistan had the lowest price increase worldwide with prices actually decreasing by about 1.7 percent.

The average inflation rate in Mozambique was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total two percentage points. The inflation is estimated to amount to 5.5 percent in 2029. The International Monetary Fund describes this indicator as a measure of inflation based upon the year on year change in the average consumer price index. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services. The values shown here refer to the year-on-year change in this index measure, expressed in percent.Find more key insights for the average inflation rate in countries like Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Burundi.

Cost of food in Zimbabwe increased 105.10 percent in April of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Zimbabwe Food Inflation - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The average inflation rate in Uganda was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.5 percentage points. The inflation is estimated to amount to five percent in 2029. Following the definitions provided by the International Monetary Fund, this indicator measures inflation based upon the year on year change in the average consumer price index. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services. Depicted here is the year-on-year change in said index measure, expressed in percent.Find more key insights for the average inflation rate in countries like Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Madagascar.

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.

Annual percentage growth rate of GDP at market prices based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2010 U.S. dollars. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources.

The average inflation rate in South Sudan was forecast to decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total 112.7 percentage points. This overall decrease does not happen continuously, notably not in 2028 and 2029. The inflation is estimated to amount to eight percent in 2029. This indicator measures inflation based upon the year on year change in the average consumer price index. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services. The values shown here refer to the year-on-year change in this index measure, expressed in percent.Find more key insights for the average inflation rate in countries like Somalia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

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.

The average inflation rate in Seychelles was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 2.5 percentage points. According to this forecast, in 2029, the inflation will have increased for the sixth consecutive year to 3.31 percent. The International Monetary Fund describes this indicator as a measure of inflation based upon the year on year change in the average consumer price index. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services. The values shown here refer to the year-on-year change in this index measure, expressed in percent.Find more key insights for the average inflation rate in countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Djibouti.

Inflationsraten i Zimbabwe steg til 57,50 procent i april fra 55,30 procent i marts 2024. Aktuelle værdier, historiske data, prognoser, statistik, diagrammer og økonomisk kalender - Zimbabwe - Inflation-Rate.

The average inflation rate in Mauritius was forecast to increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 0.1 percentage points. This overall increase does not happen continuously, notably not in 2029. The inflation is estimated to amount to 3.52 percent in 2029. The International Monetary Fund describes this indicator as a measure of inflation based upon the year on year change in the average consumer price index. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services. The values shown here refer to the year-on-year change in this index measure, expressed in percent.Find more key insights for the average inflation rate in countries like Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Eritrea.

The growth of the real gross domestic product (GDP) in Zimbabwe was forecast to increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.5 percentage points. This overall increase does not happen continuously, notably not in 2026, 2027 and 2028. The growth is estimated to amount to 3.47 percent in 2029. Following the definition of the International Monetary Fund, this indicator refers to the annual change in the gross domestic product at constant prices, expressed in national currency units. Here the gross domestic product represents the total value of the final goods and services produced during a year.Find more key insights for the growth of the real gross domestic product (GDP) in countries like Uganda, Djibouti, and Ethiopia.

Zimbabwe GNI for 2023 was 29.08 billion US dollars, a 3.83% increase from 2022.

• Zimbabwe GNI for 2022 was 28.00 billion US dollars, a 14.05% increase from 2021.
• Zimbabwe GNI for 2021 was 24.55 billion US dollars, a 7.41% increase from 2020.
• Zimbabwe GNI for 2020 was 22.86 billion US dollars, a 2.58% increase from 2019.

GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current U.S. dollars. GNI, calculated in national currency, is usually converted to U.S. dollars at official exchange rates for comparisons across economies, although an alternative rate is used when the official exchange rate is judged to diverge by an exceptionally large margin from the rate actually applied in international transactions. To smooth fluctuations in prices and exchange rates, a special Atlas method of conversion is used by the World Bank. This applies a conversion factor that averages the exchange rate for a given year and the two preceding years, adjusted for differences in rates of inflation between the country, and through 2000, the G-5 countries (France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States). From 2001, these countries include the Euro area, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Consumer Price Index CPI in Zimbabwe increased to 184.60 points in February from 183.76 points in January of 2025. This dataset provides - Zimbabwe Consumer Price Index Cpi- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Inflation, GDP deflator: linked series (annual %) in Zimbabwe was reported at 922 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Zimbabwe - Inflation, GDP deflator: linked series (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

In August 2024, the global producer price index (PPI)/ wholesale price index inflation (WPI), excluding the U.S., stood at 174.01. In the United States, the index value amounted to 165.3. The PPI/WPI inflation tracks changes in the level of prices received by domestic producers for their goods and services. Consumer habits and price increases As of August 2024, consumers considered rising prices and inflation to be their biggest worry. Consumers are expressing this worry in numerous ways. Globally, over 20 percent of consumers have said they would shop less and seek cheaper options in response to price increases. Moreover, nearly 70 percent of surveyed consumers globally reduced their gift giving to extended family and friends during the holiday season in 2023 to stretch their budgets further. Impact of inflation on emerging economies Notably, emerging economies have a higher WPI value than advanced economies. Between 2021 and 2022, the average inflation rate in developing and emerging economies increased from 5.9 percent to 9.8 percent, before falling slightly to 8.34 percent in 2023. The countries with the highest inflation rates in 2023 include many developing and emerging economies, such as Zimbabwe, Argentina, Turkey, and Suriname.

Zimbabwe GNP for 2023 was 29.08 billion US dollars, a 3.83% increase from 2022.

• Zimbabwe GNP for 2022 was 28.00 billion US dollars, a 14.05% increase from 2021.
• Zimbabwe GNP for 2021 was 24.55 billion US dollars, a 7.41% increase from 2020.
• Zimbabwe GNP for 2020 was 22.86 billion US dollars, a 2.58% increase from 2019.

GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current U.S. dollars. GNI, calculated in national currency, is usually converted to U.S. dollars at official exchange rates for comparisons across economies, although an alternative rate is used when the official exchange rate is judged to diverge by an exceptionally large margin from the rate actually applied in international transactions. To smooth fluctuations in prices and exchange rates, a special Atlas method of conversion is used by the World Bank. This applies a conversion factor that averages the exchange rate for a given year and the two preceding years, adjusted for differences in rates of inflation between the country, and through 2000, the G-5 countries (France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States). From 2001, these countries include the Euro area, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

At 8.07 U.S. dollars, Switzerland has the most expensive Big Macs in the world, according to the July 2024 Big Mac index. Concurrently, the cost of a Big Mac was 5.69 dollars in the U.S., and 6.06 U.S. dollars in the Euro area. What is the Big Mac index? The Big Mac index, published by The Economist, is a novel way of measuring whether the market exchange rates for different countries’ currencies are overvalued or undervalued. It does this by measuring each currency against a common standard – the Big Mac hamburger sold by McDonald’s restaurants all over the world. Twice a year the Economist converts the average national price of a Big Mac into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate at that point in time. As a Big Mac is a completely standardized product across the world, the argument goes that it should have the same relative cost in every country. Differences in the cost of a Big Mac expressed as U.S. dollars therefore reflect differences in the purchasing power of each currency. Is the Big Mac index a good measure of purchasing power parity? Purchasing power parity (PPP) is the idea that items should cost the same in different countries, based on the exchange rate at that time. This relationship does not hold in practice. Factors like tax rates, wage regulations, whether components need to be imported, and the level of market competition all contribute to price variations between countries. The Big Mac index does measure this basic point – that one U.S. dollar can buy more in some countries than others. There are more accurate ways to measure differences in PPP though, which convert a larger range of products into their dollar price. Adjusting for PPP can have a massive effect on how we understand a country’s economy. The country with the largest GDP adjusted for PPP is China, but when looking at the unadjusted GDP of different countries, the U.S. has the largest economy.