The urban Consumer Price Index (CPI), the main measure of inflation, rose by 8 per cent in December compared to the same month in 2024, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). The CPI report released on Saturday, January 10, shows that inflation remained stable on a monthly basis, with prices in December unchanged from November. ALSO READ: Consumer prices rise by 7.2% in November The annual average inflation rate between December 2024 and December 2025 stood at 7 per cent. Health prices recorded the sharpest increase, 70.8 per cent year-on-year. Other major contributors included alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics, which rose by 16.7 per cent, restaurants and hotels at 17.4 per cent, and transport at 9.4 per cent. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels increased by 8.4 per cent. Food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by a modest 3.6 per cent over the year, although vegetable prices declined by 4.7 per cent. On a monthly basis, overall urban prices remained unchanged. Transport rose by 0.6 per cent, housing-related costs increased by 0.3 per cent, while food and non-alcoholic beverages fell by 0.6 per cent. ALSO READ: What is behind the rise in inflation? Underlying inflation, which excludes fresh food and energy, stood at 8.9 per cent annually and increased by 0.3 per cent compared to November. The annual average underlying inflation rate was 7.2 per cent. At the national level, the overall CPI rose by 5.2 per cent compared to December 2024, while prices fell by 0.6 per cent compared to November. Prices of local goods increased by 7.3 per cent annually, while imported goods rose faster at 10.1 per cent. Energy prices climbed by 14 per cent year-on-year, while fresh products increased by 3.6 per cent but fell by 1.2 per cent on a monthly basis.
