Rents drove up living costs in February/ Inflation reached 2.5%, the highest level since July last year
The Institute of Statistics has published data on the Consumer Price Index for February 2026, where according to them the inflation rate in this month reached 2.5%, marking an increase compared to 1.9% in February 2025.
Compared to January 2026, consumer prices have increased by 0.5%, indicating a slight increase in the cost of living over the last month.
According to the data, the annual price increase was mainly influenced by the increase in the price of the group "rent, water, electricity, gas and other fuels", where prices increased by 5.3%. Increases were also recorded in insurance and financial services by 4.3%, entertainment, sports and culture by 4.2%, as well as restaurants and accommodation services by 2.4%.
Meanwhile, compared to January 2026, the largest price increase was seen in food and non-alcoholic beverages, by 0.9%, followed by entertainment, sports and culture by 0.7% and rents, energy and fuel by 0.6%.
On the other hand, some categories have seen slight price decreases. Clothing and footwear have fallen by 0.3%, while a small decrease was also recorded in information and communication as well as personal care and various services.
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices also increased in February. According to INSTAT data, they increased by 0.9% compared to January and by 1.7% compared to the same month a year ago, being one of the groups that directly affect the daily expenses of families. However, more detailed data on the performance of food prices by sub-groups have not been published recently, as the last such publication was made in December 2025.
We must keep in mind that the conflict in the Middle East and the rapid increase in oil prices are creating new risks for inflation. If oil prices remain high for a longer period, this could lead to a further increase in inflation in the coming months.
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