El Salvador Inflation Rate Accelerates in February

Consumer prices in El Salvador rose 1.17% year over year in February 2026, up from 0.65% in January, reversing the previous disinflation trend. The increase was led by food by accelerated inflation( 1.38% vs. 0.89% in January), restaurants and hotels (3.96% vs. 3.95%), healthcare (2.41% vs. 2.26%), and housing and utilities (1.34% vs. 1.16%), while household goods swung to increases ( 0.17% vs. -0.13%). Meanwhile, prices fell at a softer rate for transport (-0.92% vs. -3.27%), clothing and footwear (-0.34% vs. -0.49%) and communications (-0.53% vs. -0.53%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.46% in February from a softer 0.08% in the previous month.

Consumer prices in El Salvador rose 0.65% year over year in January 2026, down from 0.91% in December (vs. 1.14% in November), extending the disinflation trend into a fourth consecutive month. The increase was led by food (and related items), which rose 0.89% (vs. 1.29% in December). Additional upward pressure came from restaurants and hotels (3.95% vs. 3.94%) and healthcare (2.26% vs. 2.31%), while housing and utilities picked up to 1.16% (vs. 0.96%). By contrast, prices fell further for transport (-3.27% vs. -1.64%), while declines persisted in clothing and footwear (-0.49% vs. -0.48%), household goods (-0.13% vs. -0.09%), and communications (-0.53% vs. -0.88%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices data for January were not provided in the release.

Consumer prices in El Salvador rose 0.91% year-over-year in December 2025, down from 1.14% in November and 0.93% in October, marking the third consecutive month of inflation. The increase was led by food (and related items), which rose 1.29% (from 2.28% in November). Additional upward pressure came from restaurants and hotels (3.94% vs 3.48%) and healthcare (2.31% vs 2.22%), while housing and utilities eased to 0.96% from 1.30%. By contrast, prices continued to fall for transport (-1.64% vs -2.86%), clothing and footwear (-0.48% vs -0.62%), household goods (-0.09% vs -0.12%), and communications (-0.88% vs -0.37%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.20% in December, following a 0.11% increase in November.