Lebanon Inflation Hits Lowest Since 2020

The annual inflation rate in Lebanon eased to 10.9% in January 2026 from 12.2% in the previous month, marking the lowest reading since January 2020. Prices slowed mostly for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (7.0% vs 8.1% in December 2025), housing and utilities (15.0% vs 17.2%), recreation, amusement, and culture (31.3% vs 31.6%), restaurants and hotels (7.2% vs 7.6%), and miscellaneous goods and services (14.2% vs 21.6%). Additionally, transportation costs fell (-0.7% vs 3.2%), while deflation deepened for furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance (-2.3% vs -1.6%) and communication (-1.6% vs -0.7). Meanwhile, prices continued to increase for food and non-alcoholic beverages (15.1% vs 14.6%) and clothing and footwear (2.8% vs 2.0%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices declined by 0.1% in January 2026, following a flat reading in the previous month.

The annual inflation rate in Lebanon eased to 12.2% in December 2025 from 14.7% in November, marking the lowest reading since February 2020. Prices moderated across several categories namely food and non-alcoholic beverages (14.6% vs 17% in November), transportation (3.2% vs 5.4%), education (35.9% vs 76.8%), clothing and footwear (2% vs 7.1%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (8.1% vs 8.5%), recreation, amusement, and culture (31.6% vs 39.8%), restaurants and hotels (7.6% vs 9.7%), and miscellaneous goods and services (21.6% vs 26.7%). At the same time, deflation deepened in communication (-0.7% vs -0.5%), and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (-1.6% vs -1.1%). On the other hand, costs accelerated for housing and utilities (17.2% vs 15.4%), while it held steady in health (2.2%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices stalled in December 2025, following a 0.82% increase in the previous month.

The annual inflation rate in Lebanon eased to 14.7% in November 2025, the lowest in three months, down from a 10-month high of 16.4% in the previous month. The slowdown was driven by slower price growth in housing and utilities (15.4% vs 17.4% in October), food and non-alcoholic beverages (17.0% vs 19.4%), health (2.2% vs 5.0%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (8.5% vs 9.1%), clothing and footwear (7.1% vs 7.9%), recreation, amusement, and culture (39.8% vs 40.4%), and miscellaneous goods and services (26.7% vs 27.3%), alongside a decline in furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance (-1.1% vs 0.8%). Price changes were stable in education (76.8%) and restaurants and hotels (9.7%), while transportation prices accelerated (5.4% vs 3.9%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.82% in November, moderating from a 3.32% gain in October.