Ecuador Inflation Eases in May

Ecuador’s annual inflation rate eased to 0.9% in May 2026 from 2.6% in April. Price growth slowed for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (0.7% vs 1.6%), healthcare (4.1% vs 4.5%), communication (0.6% vs 0.7%), education (1.6% vs 1.7%), and restaurants and hotels (1.2% vs 1.4%). Meanwhile, deflation was recorded in food and non-alcoholic beverages (-0.1% vs 0.3%), clothing and footwear (-5.0% vs 5.2%), housing and utilities (-7.2% vs 17.3%), and recreation and culture (-0.2% vs 0.4%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.6%, reversing a 0.5% increase in April.

Ecuador’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 2.6% in April 2026 from 2.3% in the previous month. The largest price increases were recorded in housing and utilities (17.3%), healthcare (4.5%), transport (3.2%), and miscellaneous goods and services (2.3%). More moderate inflation was observed in education (1.7%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.6%), restaurants and hotels (1.4%), communications (0.7%), recreation and culture (0.4%), furniture and household articles (0.3%), and food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.3%). In contrast, prices for clothing and footwear fell 5.2% from a year earlier. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.5% after increasing 0.1% in March.

Ecuador’s annual inflation accelerated to 2.56% in February 2026 from 2.44% in January, marking the sharpest rise since April 2024. The largest price increases were recorded in housing and utilities (24.80%), food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.83%), healthcare (3.07%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.24%), and restaurants and hotels (1.21%). Deflation was seen in clothing and footwear (-5.00%), transport (-0.53%), communication (-0.42%), and recreation and culture (-0.25%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.21% after a 0.37% increase in January.