Chile Annual Inflation Accelerates in March

Chile's annual inflation rate inched up to 4.3% in June 2026 from 3.9% in the prior month, marking the highest reading since September 2025. The main upward pressure came from prices of transportation (8.6% vs 10.1%); restaurants & hotels (6.5% vs 6.5%); education (5.9% vs 5.9%); food & non-alcoholic beverages (4.2% vs 2.5%); housing & utilities (4.3% vs 4.2%) and alcoholic beverages & tobacco (3.4% vs 2.6%). Conversely, prices decreased for clothing & footwear (-4.76% vs -4.9%) and insurance & financial services (-1.8% vs -4.4%). On a monthly basis, the CPI was flat, after increasing by 0.2% in May and against market forecasts of a 0.2% decrease. Prices rose in eight of the 13 categories, with insurance & financial services registering the highest rate (3.4%). Core consumer prices edged down by 0.1% in June, after a 0.4% rise in the month before.

Chile's annual inflation rate was little changed at 3.9% in May 2026, compared with 4.0% in April. The strongest price pressures continued to come from transport (10.1%), followed by restaurants and lodging (6.5%), education (5.9%), healthcare (5.6%), and housing and utilities (4.2%). In contrast, prices declined for clothing and footwear (-4.9%) and insurance and financial services (-4.4%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2%, easing sharply from the 1.3% increase recorded in April. In the first five months of the year, inflation accumulated to 2.8%, indicating that price growth remained moderate despite persistent pressures in transportation and services.

Chile's annual inflation rate accelerated to 2.8% in March 2026 from 2.4% in February. The strongest price pressures were recorded in restaurants and lodging at 6.2%, education at 6.1%, healthcare at 5.0%, and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.5%. Prices also rose for alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 3.1%, utilities at 2.9%, recreation and sports at 1.8%, household equipment and maintenance at 1.5%, transport at 1.3%, and information and communication at 1.3%. Deflation was seen in clothing and footwear at 3.8% and financial services and insurance at 6.0%. On a monthly basis, prices rose 1.0% following a 0.4% increase in February.