Malta Inflation Edges Higher in July

Malta’s annual inflation rate edged up to 2.1% in July 2026, following a more than one-year low of 2.0% in the previous month. Prices increased at a faster pace in restaurants and hotels (3.3% vs 3.0% in June), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.8% vs 1.6%), housing and utilities (3.0% vs 2.8%), furnishings and household equipment (2.9% vs 2.6%), insurance and financial services (1.0% vs 0.3%), and miscellaneous goods and services (3.7% vs 2.9%). Deflation also eased for clothing and footwear (-3.6% vs -3.9%). Meanwhile, price growth slowed for food and non-alcoholic beverages (1.7% vs 1.8%), transportation (1.9% vs 2.6%), health (2.8% vs 3.0%), and recreation and culture (3.2% vs 3.4%), while it remained steady for education (at 3.2%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.5% in July, following a 1.1% increase in the previous month.

Malta's annual inflation rate eased to 2.0% in June 2026, marking the lowest level since February 2025, down from 2.1% in the previous month. The slowdown was mainly supported by easing price growth in food (1.8% vs 2.0%) and transport (2.6% vs 2.9%), followed by recreation, sport and culture (3.4% vs 3.9%), health (3.0% vs 3.1%) and restaurants and accommodation services (3.0% vs 3.6%). Meanwhile, deflation eased for clothing and footwear (-3.9% vs -4.3%) and information and communication (-1.6% vs -2.5%). In contrast, price growth accelerated for housing and utilities (2.8% vs 2.5%), furnishings (2.6% vs 2.4%), alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics (1.6% vs 1.5%) and education services (3.2% vs 3.1%). Costs in insurance and financial services rebounded, increased 0.3% following a 0.2% drop. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.1%, easing from 1.4% in the previous month.

Malta’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.1% in May 2026 from 2.5% in the previous month. This also marked the lowest reading since March 2025, mainly driven by continued price declines in clothing and footwear (-4.3% vs -5.8% in April). Prices also fell further for information and communication (-2.5% vs -2.4%) and insurance and financial services (-2.5% vs -2.4%). At the same time, inflation eased for food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.0% vs 3.8%), furnishings, household equipment and maintenance (2.4% vs 2.8%), recreation, sports and culture (3.9% vs 4.4%), restaurants and accommodation services (3.6% vs 4.0%), and miscellaneous goods and services (3.0% vs 3.1%). In contrast, prices rose further for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.5% vs 1.3%), housing and utilities (2.5% vs 2.3%), and transport (2.9% vs 2.5%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.4% in May, easing from a 3.4% gain in the preceding month.