Saudi Arabia’s inflation rate dropped to 2.2 percent in December 2018, compared to November 2018, the latest figures from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed.
The cost of living index leveled up to 106.2 points in December, compared to 103.9 points in the same month in 2017.
The GASTAT changed the base year for the consumer price index to 2013 from 2007 and adjusted the basket of goods and services.
|
Saudi Inflation Rate |
|
|
Month |
Inflation rate* |
|
January 2017 |
(0.6%) |
|
February |
(0.6%) |
|
March |
(0.7%) |
|
April |
(0.7%) |
|
May |
(0.8%) |
|
June |
(0.5%) |
|
July |
(0.8%) |
|
August |
(0.8%) |
|
September |
(0.8%) |
|
October |
(1.2%) |
|
November |
(1.7%) |
|
December |
(1.1%) |
|
January 2018 |
+3.0% |
|
February |
+2.9% |
|
March |
+2.8% |
|
April |
+2.5% |
|
May |
+2.3% |
|
June |
+2.1% |
|
July |
+2.2% |
|
August |
+2.2% |
|
September |
+2.1% |
|
October |
+2.4% |
|
November |
+2.8% |
|
December |
+2.2% |
*Updated for base year 2013
Prices of ten main groups in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket increased, led by transportation, which increased 12 percent in December. It was followed by Tobacco (10.2 percent) and Hotels & Restaurants (7.3 percent).
Apparel & footwear, along with housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel saw a decline during the same month.
The following table shows the most important changes in the main groups in the CPI between December 2017 and 2018:
|
CPI YoY comparison (December 2018/2017) |
|
|
Main Groups |
Variation (%) |
|
Transportation |
+12.0% |
|
Tobacco |
+10.2% |
|
Hotels & Restaurants |
+7.3% |
|
Food & Beverages |
+7.1% |
|
Home Furniture & Maintenance |
+5.0% |
|
Entertainment & Culture |
+4.6% |
|
Healthcare |
+4.0% |
|
Telecommunications |
+1.1% |
|
Goods & various services |
+0.8% |
|
Education |
+0.2% |
|
Apparel & Footwear |
(3.2%) |
|
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Fuel |
(5.1%) |
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