Botswana Inflation Rate Remains High at 10.7%

Botswana's annual inflation rate held at 10.7% in June 2026, unchanged from May and remaining at its highest level since December 2022. The largest contributors to headline inflation were transport (28.4% vs. 28.6% in May), miscellaneous goods and services (11.5% vs. 11.1%), and food and non-alcoholic beverages (5.7% vs 5.7%). Additional upward pressure stemmed from prices of alcoholic beverages & tobacco (10.6% vs 10.5%); clothing and footwear (5.3% vs 4.8%); furnishings and household equipment (5% vs 5.1%); restaurants & hotels (5.2% vs 5.1%), among others. Conversely, declines were seen for housing & utilities (-0.4% vs -0.2%) and communication (-1.1% vs -0.9%).On a monthly basis, the CPI rose by 0.2% in June, after a 0.3% increase in the previous month.

The annual inflation rate in Botswana rose 10.7% in May 2026 from 10.3% in the previous month, remaining as the highest reading since December 2022. Costs increased in alcoholic beverages and tobacco (10.5% vs 10.3% in April), clothing and footwear (4.8% vs 4.5%), furnishings and household equipment (5.1% vs 5%), health (4% vs 3.6%), transportation (28.6% vs 28.5%), restaurants and hotels (5.1% vs 4.1%), and miscellaneous goods and services (11.1% vs 10.3%). At the same time, price growth remained steady in recreation and culture (1.6%) and education (2.1%), while deflation slowed in housing and utilities (-0.2% vs -1.7%) and communication (-0.9% vs -1.1%). In contrast, prices moderated slightly in food and non-alcoholic beverages (5.7% vs 5.8%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices grew by 0.3% in May, easing sharply from a 6.7% jump in the preceding period.

The annual inflation rate in Botswana surged to 10.3% in April 2026 from 4.2% in the previous month. This marked the highest reading since December 2022, largely driven by a sharp rise in transport costs, which climbed 28.5% (6.4% in March), following significant increases in retail fuel prices and public transport fares. Inflation also accelerated for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (10.3% vs 9.9%) and miscellaneous goods and services (10.3% vs 9.4%). On the other hand, prices declined for housing and utilities (-1.7% vs -2.4%) and communication (-1.1% vs -1.2%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up by 6.7% in April, the sharpest rise on record and up from a 0.4% gain in the preceding period.