Inflation in Saudi Arabia accelerates to 3.1% in September

13/10/2022 Argaam Special
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Saudi Arabia’s inflation rose to 3.1% in September 2022 compared to August, according to recent data by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). 

 

The inflation rate for the last month was the highest in 15 months, or since June 2021, when it reached 6.2%.

 

The cost-of-living index for September rose to 107.9 points, according to the base year 2018, compared to 104.69 points in the same month a year earlier.

 

Inflation is measured by the change percentage in the cost of living between the current period and the corresponding period of the previous year. The increase or decline of inflation is measured compared to the previous month.

 

Saudi Inflation Rate 

Month 

Inflation rate 

January 2021 

5.7 %

February 

5.2 %

March 

4.9 %

April 

5.3 %

May 

5.7 %

June 

6.2 %

July 

0.4 %

August 

0.3 %

September 

0.6 %

October 

0.8 %

November 

1.1 %

December 

1.2 %

January 2022 

1.2 %

February 

1.6 %

March 

2.0 %

April

2.3 %

May

2.2 %

June

2.3 %

July

2.7 %

August

3.0 %

September

3.1 %

 

 

The increase in the consumer price index (CPI) was mainly driven by a 4.3% year-on-year (YoY) rise in food and beverage prices, in addition to a 3.2% increase in housing, water, electricity, gas & other fuels prices.

 

The table below illustrates the YoY change in September’s CPI:

 

CPI YoY Comparison – September 2021-2022

Main Groups

Change

Restaurants & Hotels

7.5 %

Education

5.7 %

Food & Beverages

4.3 %

Transport

3.8 %

Recreation & Culture

3.5 %

Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels

3.2 %

Personal Goods & Services

1.6 %

Furnishing, Household Equipment & Maintenance

1.2 %

Healthcare

0.7 %

Tobacco

0.3 %

Communication

0.2 %

Clothing & Footwear

(1.0%)

 

 

The CPI reflects price changes of a fixed basket of goods and services that includes 490 items. The items were chosen based on the results of the Household Expenditure and Income Survey conducted in 2018.

 

Prices are collected through the point of sale (POS) field visits.

 

Relative Importance of Major Sectors

Expenditure Groups (2018)

Percent

General Index

100.0%

Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels

25.50%

Food & Beverages

18.78%

Transport

13.05%

Personal Goods & Services

12.57%

Furnishing, Household Equipment & Maintenance

6.74%

Communication

5.62%

Restaurants & Hotels

5.60%

Clothes & Footwear

4.20%

Recreation & Culture

3.06%

Education

2.87%

Healthcare

1.43%

Tobacco

0.60%

 

Inflation rate rose in Makkah, Al Hofuf, Jeddah, Madinah, Sakaka, Abha, Tabuk, Hail and Buraidah.

 

On the other hand, inflation fell in Arar, Al Baha, Riyadh, Jizan, Dammam and Taif, while registering a negative rate in Najran. The inflation rate in Saudi cities is as follows:

 

Inflation Rate by City

city

September 2021

June 2022

July 2022

August 2022

September 2022

Riyadh

1.3 %

2.6 %

3.3 %

3.6 %

3.2 %

Makkah

 1.7%

2.1 %

1.8 %

1.7 %

2.4 %

Jeddah

(1.5 %)

2.4 %

3.1 %

3.8 %

4.3 %

Dammam

(0.1 %)

1.7 %

2.3 %

3.3 %

3.1 %

Madinah

0.5 %

2.0 %

2.0 %

1.9 %

2.3 %

Taif

0.01 %

0.9 %

1.3 %

1.7 %

% 1.6

Al Hofuf

(0.9 %)

1.1 %

1.7 %

1.8 %

2.7 %

Abha

(2.5 %)

2.1 %

2.6 %

2.5 %

2.7 %

Buraidah

0.7 %

2.1 %

2.0 %

2.1 %

2.2 %

Tabuk

4.5 %

1.5 %

1.4 %

1.9 %

 2.0%

Hail

1.0 %

1.0 %

1.1 %

1.5 %

1.6%

Jizan

1.1 %

6.0 %

6.2 %

5.5 %

5.3 %

Najran

9.6 %

0.5 %

(0.05 %)

(0.4 %)

(0.6 %)

Al Baha

1.5 %

3.7 %

1.9 %

2.2 %

1.7 %

Sakaka

2.4 %

3.7 %

3.3 %

3.5 %

3.9 %

Arar

1.3 %

2.0 %

2.0 %

1.6 %

0.9 %

Total

0.6 %

2.3 %

2.7 %

3.0 %

3.1 %

 

 

Details and Historical Data of Inflation 

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