Annual inflation rate in Rwanda rose to 7.5% in January 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier, driven largely by higher food, housing and healthcare costs, the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) said.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 5.3% year over year, contributing significantly to the overall rise in consumer prices. Prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco climbed 14.9%, while housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 5.9%. Restaurant and hotel prices recorded one of the sharpest increases, jumping 18.2% compared with January 2025.
Healthcare costs saw a particularly steep rise, increasing 71.1% in urban areas over the same period, adding additional pressure on household spending.
On a monthly basis, prices increased by 0.6% in January compared with December 2025. The month-over-month rise was largely attributed to a 4.1% increase in restaurant and hotel prices.
In urban areas, inflation reached 8.9% year over year in January, up from 8% recorded in December. The increase was driven by higher costs for food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, housing-related expenses and transport, which rose 8.6%. On a monthly basis, urban prices climbed 1.3%, supported by increases in food, housing and hospitality services.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 8.9% compared with January 2025, indicating broader underlying price pressures across the economy.
In rural areas, annual inflation stood at 6.5% in January, compared with a 3.3% increase recorded in December 2025. The rise in rural prices was driven mainly by food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and restaurant and hotel services. Month over month, rural prices edged up 0.1%, largely due to a 2.9% increase in hospitality costs.
The latest figures highlight sustained inflationary pressures across both urban and rural areas, with food, housing and services continuing to weigh on consumers at the start of 2026.
