What is the inflation rate?

The inflation rate is the percentage change in the consumer price index (CPI) over a year. It measures how much the average price of a basket of goods and services has risen, eroding the purchasing power of money.

What inflation rate is considered healthy?

Most central banks in advanced economies target around 2 percent. A small positive rate encourages spending and investment while leaving room to cut rates in a downturn, without the harm that high inflation or deflation cause.

What is deflation and why is it a problem?

Deflation is a sustained fall in prices, shown here as a negative rate. It can be damaging because shoppers delay purchases expecting lower prices, debts grow heavier in real terms, and economic activity can spiral downward.

Why do some countries have triple-digit inflation?

Hyperinflation usually follows large fiscal deficits financed by printing money, loss of confidence in the currency, or sanctions and supply collapses. A few economies routinely post very high rates for these reasons.

How current is this data?

Rates reflect the most recent annual figures available at publication from IMF and World Bank sources. Inflation moves quickly, so always check the latest release before quoting a number.

Inflation Rate by Country Reference

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Inflation, country by country

This reference lists recent annual CPI inflation rates for the world’s countries, drawn from IMF and World Bank data. Inflation is the rate at which the general price level rises, and it directly shapes interest rates, wage demands, and the real value of savings.

How it works

Inflation is the year-over-year percentage change in the consumer price index, a weighted basket of the goods and services a typical household buys:

inflation = (CPI_now - CPI_year_ago) / CPI_year_ago × 100

If the basket cost 100 a year ago and 105 now, inflation is 5 percent. The band classifies each country as Deflation (below 0), Target (0–3.9, the comfortable zone for advanced economies), Elevated (4–9.9), or High (10 and above), letting you scan the global picture at a glance.

Tips and notes

Sort by Inflation to see the spread from deflation to hyperinflation in one view.
Inflation and central bank rates move together: read this table alongside the policy-rate reference to see how each country is responding.
A single high reading is not the same as entrenched inflation; the band is a snapshot, not a trend, so check whether a rate is rising or falling before drawing conclusions.