Croatia Inflation Rate at 4-Month Low

The inflation rate in Croatia rose 4.5% year-on-year in June 2026, easing from 5.2% in the previous month and marking the lowest reading since February, according to a preliminary estimate. Prices for non-food industrial goods excluding energy fell 0.6%. Meanwhile, energy costs climbed 13.2%, continued to be linked to the Middle East conflict. Services prices also rose 8.1%, while food, beverages, and tobacco prices increased 1.8%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.4% in June, following a 0.3% decline in May, marking the second consecutive monthly decline after four straight months of increases.

The annual inflation rate in Croatia eased to 5.2% in May 2026 from 5.8% in the previous month, in line with preliminary estimates. Price growth moderated across several categories, including food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.4% vs 2.8% in April), housing and utilities (11.8% vs 12.1%), transport (12.5% vs 13.1%), information and communication (2.7% vs 3.3%), and personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods and services (3.6% vs 4.6%). Inflation also edged lower for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (7.5% vs 7.6%), recreation, sport and culture (3.9% vs 4.1%), and restaurants and hotels (6.1% vs 6.2%). Meanwhile, deflation was recorded in clothing and footwear (-3% vs -3.1%), furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance (-0.2% vs 0.3%), and education (-1.5% vs -1.7%), while inflation accelerated for health (5.2% vs 4.2%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.3% in May, reversing a 1.6% increase in April and marking the first decline since December.

The inflation rate in Croatia rose 5.2% year-on-year in May 2026, easing from 5.8% in the previous month, according to preliminary data. Energy costs surged 16.9%, largely driven by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Prices for food, beverages, and tobacco increased 2.3%, while services inflation accelerated to 7.9%. In contrast, prices for non-food industrial goods excluding energy fell 0.7%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices declined 0.2% in May, the first decrease since December 2025, following a 1.6% increase in the previous month.