Rwanda's Urban Consumer Price Index (CPI), the country's primary measure of inflation, rose by 13.6 per cent in June 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, according to the latest data released by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). The annual increase was largely driven by higher costs for healthcare, transport, housing, and energy. Healthcare registered the steepest year-on-year increase, with prices surging 71.2 per cent compared with June 2025, although the category recorded only a marginal 0.1 per cent increase between May and June. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 20.5 per cent year on year, while transport costs increased 26 per cent. Prices for hotels and restaurants also climbed 15.9 per cent over the same period. ALSO READ: Inflation increases by 12.9 per cent in May On the other hand, alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics, increased by 13 per cent. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, which carry the largest weight in the urban consumption basket at 27 per cent, increased by 7.5 per cent compared with June last year. However, prices in the category declined by 0.3 per cent compared with May. Energy prices recorded the sharpest increase among the main sub-indices, rising by 44.8 per cent year-on-year and 0.3 per cent compared with the previous month. ALSO READ: Inflation rose 9.2% in February - NISR Local goods rose According to the latest index, locally produced goods continued to rise faster than imported goods. Local products increased by 14.7 per cent year-on-year and 0.4 per cent monthly, while imported products increased by 10.5 per cent annually and 0.5 per cent compared with May. Fresh products increased by 9.1 per cent annually and remained unchanged compared with the previous month. ALSO READ: Central bank raises policy rate to contain inflation Underlying inflation pressures also remained high, with the general index excluding fresh products and energy increasing by 12.3 per cent year-on-year and 0.6 per cent month-on-month. The annual average inflation rate between June 2025 and June 2026 stood at 9.3 per cent in urban areas, while core inflation averaged 9.7 per cent over the same period. June's inflation rate of 13.6 per cent marks an acceleration from 12.9 per cent in May, reversing the slight easing recorded from 13 per cent in April. The latest reading extends a broader upward trend in consumer prices, with annual inflation having risen sharply from 9.2 per cent in March.
