RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate or the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded an increase of 1.8 percent in May 2026 compared with May 2025, according to the data released on Monday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The GASTAT report showed that the increase is mainly attributed to a 3.7 percent rise in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices, a 1.5 percent increase in transportation prices, and a 1.7 percent rise in restaurant and accommodation service prices. The data showed that the personal care, social protection, and other goods and services category recorded the highest annual increase at 5.6 percent, driven by an 18.5 percent rise in the prices of other personal goods, which were impacted by a 20 percent increase in jewelry and watch prices. Prices for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels rose by 3.7 percent, driven by a 4.7 percent increase in actual housing rents. Prices for recreation, sports, and culture increased by 2.6 percent, fueled by a 4.3 percent rise in holiday package prices. Conversely, prices for furniture, household appliances, and routine home maintenance fell by 0.5 percent, while prices for clothing and footwear declined by 0.1 percent. On a monthly basis, the inflation recorded an increase of 0.2 percent compared with April 2026. This increase was driven by a 0.6 percent rise in transportation costs, resulting from a 1.9 percent increase in passenger transport services. Prices for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels also rose by 0.2 percent, as did prices for food and beverages. Conversely, prices for personal care, social protection, and other goods and services fell by 0.2 percent, as did prices for furniture, household appliances, and routine home maintenance, and clothing and footwear, which decreased by 0.1 percent.The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) posted an annual increase of 4.6 percent in May 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier. Month-on-month, the index rose by 1.2 percent from April 2026.The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures changes in the prices paid by consumers for a fixed basket of 582 goods and services, providing a key indicator of inflation trends in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the WPI tracks price movements of goods at the pre-retail stage based on a fixed basket of 343 items, offering insight into price developments within wholesale markets.
