URGENT: Egypt’s annual inflation up to 13.1% in March ’25
Egypt’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 13.1 per cent in March 2025, up from 12.5 per cent in February, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 1.5 per cent, reaching 250.6 points in March compared to February 2025.
Food prices monthly
The increase was attributed to a broad-based rise in food prices:
- Fruit, which by 23.6 per cent.
- Vegetables by 3.1 per cent.
- Meat and poultry by 2.8 per cent.
- Dairy products by 0.3 per cent.
- Oils and fats by 0.2 per cent.
- Sugar and confectionery by 0.2 per cent.
- Seafood by 0.7 per cent.
Non-food categories also climbed
- Housing maintenance costs increased by 0.5 per cent
- Actual housing rents rose by 1.2 per cent
- Hotel services rose by 2.2 per cent,
- Hospital services surged by 4.2 per cent.
Declines in tobacco and appliances
Despite the overall rise, some categories recorded modest declines. Tobacco prices dipped by 0.1 per cent, while home appliances dropped by 0.2 per cent.
Annual food inflation
- Year-on-year (YoY), the food and beverages segment recorded a 6.5 per cent increase, led by 76.7 per cent rise in fruit prices.
- Mineral water, soft drinks, and juices surged by 31 per cent, Coffee, tea, and cocoa rose by 7.9 per cent.
In contrast, oils and fats down by 3.2 per cent. - Sugar and confectionery decreased by 0.8 per cent.
- Vegetable prices fell by 0.7 per cent
Non-food items
- Tobacco prices rose 26.2 per cent YoY.
- Clothing and footwear climbed 18.3 per cent.
- Housing-related costs rose by 17.4 per cent.
- Healthcare saw a 25.5 per cent increase, driven by a 32.6 per cent rise in prices of medical products and equipment.
- Transport prices surged 29.5 per cent.
Education and services
- Education costs grew by 10 per cent.
- Hotel and restaurant services saw an 11.3 per cent rise.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: M. S. Salama
AfDB 2023