Vietnam Inflation Rate Climbs to 6-Month High

Vietnam’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 4.65% in March 2026 from 3.35% in the previous month, marking the highest level since January 2023 and the fastest March year-on-year CPI increase in the past five years. Upward price pressures were broad-based across most components, including food (4.72% vs 5.28% in February), beverages and tobacco (3.44% vs 3.03%), clothing, hats, and footwear (1.82% vs 1.87%), housing electricity, water, fuel and building materials (5.88% vs 5.60%), household equipment and goods (2.44% vs 2.23%), healthcare (1.0% vs 0.74%), transport (10.81% vs -3.19%), education (3.30% vs 3.21%), culture, entertainment and tourism (2.07% vs 2.31%), and other goods and services (4.01% vs 4.10%). At the same time, cost of communication remained broadly stable (-0.07% vs -0.24%). Core inflation rose to 3.96% in March from the prior 3.74%. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 1.23%, after 1.14% gain in February, the steepest pace since February 2021.

Vietnam’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.35% in February 2026, up from 2.53% in the previous month, which was the lowest since July 2023. Costs increased for food and foodstuff services (5.28% vs 3.64% in January), household equipment and goods (2.23% vs 1.71%), clothing, hats, and footwear (1.87% vs 1.21%), education (3.21% vs 3.14%), culture, entertainment and tourism (2.31% vs 1.11%), beverages and tobacco (3.03% vs 1.95%), and other goods and services (4.10% vs 2.94%). At the same time, inflation held steady for housing electricity, water, fuel and building materials (5.60%), while deflation eased in transportation (-3.19% vs -3.76%) and information and communication (-0.24% vs -0.28%). Meanwhile, price growth slowed for medicines and medical services (0.74% vs 0.92%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 1.14% in February, accelerating from 0.05% in January. The core inflation rate also rose to 3.74% from 3.19% in January

Vietnam’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.53% in January 2026, the lowest since July 2023, down from 3.48% in December. Inflation eased across most sub-components, particularly food and foodstuff services (3.64% vs 4.20% in December), driven by a decline in food costs (-1.22%). Price growth also moderated for beverages and cigarettes (1.95% vs 2.05%), garments, hats, and footwear (1.21% vs 1.33%), household equipment and goods (1.71% vs 1.77%), and medicine and healthcare services (0.92% vs 10.27%). Deflation deepened for transport (-3.76% vs -0.55%) and information and communication (-0.28% vs -0.25%). In contrast, inflation picked up for housing, electricity, water, fuel, and construction materials (5.60% vs 5.23%) and education (3.14% vs 3.05%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices inched up 0.05%, following a 0.19% gain in December. The core inflation rate eased to 3.19% from 3.27% in December.