Saudi Arabia March Inflation Up 1.8%

The annual inflation rate in Saudi Arabia eased to 1.7% in April 2026 from 1.8% in the previous month, slightly below market expectations of 1.8%. Prices rose at a softer pace in housing and utilities (3.8% vs 3.9% in March), recreation, sport and culture (1.8% vs 2.0%), restaurant and accommodation services (1.0% vs 2.2%), and personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (6.3% vs 8.2%). Additionally, deflation continued in clothing and footwear (-0.3% vs -0.1%) and furnishings, household equipment and maintenance (unchanged at -0.5%). Meanwhile, costs increased further in food and beverages (0.6% vs 0.3%), transport (1.0% vs 0.9%), information and communication (1.3% vs 1.0%), and insurance and financial services (2.3% vs 2.1%), while inflation remained steady for tobacco (0.4%), health (0.4%), and education (1.4%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% in April, easing slightly from 0.3% in the previous month.

The annual inflation rate in Saudi Arabia edged up to 1.8% in March 2026 from a seventeen-month low of 1.7% in the previous month. The increase was mainly driven by higher housing and utility costs, up 3.9% (vs 4.1% in February), due to a 4.8% increase (vs 5.1%) in actual rents. Transport prices also rose 0.9% (vs 1.9%), reflecting a 5.5% gain (vs 5.6%) in passenger transport services, while restaurant and accommodation services increased 2.2% (vs 1.9%). Additionally, inflation increased for insurance and financial services (2.1% vs 1%) and recreation, sport and culture (2% vs 1.8%), while it remained steady for personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services (at 8.2%). In contrast, costs declined for clothing and footwear (-0.1% vs 0%) and furnishings, household equipment and maintenance (-0.5% vs -0.9%). Monthly, consumer prices rose by 0.3% in March, the sharpest since October 2025, after showing no growth in the preceding period.

Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate edged down to 1.7% in February 2026 from 1.8% in the prior month, marking the lowest level since September 2024. Price pressures eased for housing and utilities (4.1% vs 4.2% in January), insurance and financial services (1.0% vs 3.3%), recreation and culture (1.0% vs 2.3%), tobacco (0.4% vs 0.7%), education (1.4% vs 1.6%), and transport (1.4% vs 1.5%). Meanwhile, prices were flat for food and drinks (vs 0.2% previously), and clothing and footwear (vs a 0.5% gain in January). Simultaneously, prices fell further for furnishings and household equipment (-0.9% vs -0.3%). On the other hand, inflation rebounded slightly in health (0.1% vs -0.1%) and accelerated for personal care, social protection, and miscellaneous goods (8.2% vs 7.9%), restaurants and hotels (1.9% vs 1.0%), and communication (1.1% vs 0.3%). Monthly, consumer prices were unchanged, following a 0.2% increase in January, which had been the largest rise in three months.