Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s inflation rate remained stable at 2.2 percent in October 2025 compared to the previous month of September. According to the monthly statistical report, released on Thursday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the annual rate of inflation or the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in October 2025 recorded an increase of 0.3 percent compared to October in 2024 when it stood at 1.9 percent.

The authority attributed this increase mainly to a 4.5 percent rise in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices, a 1.5 percent increase in food and beverage prices, and a 1.1 percent rise in restaurant and accommodation services prices.

The report explained that the housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel prices increased due to a 5.7 percent rise in actual housing rents, which was influenced by a 5.7 percent increase in actual rents paid by tenants for their primary residences. Prices in the food and beverage sector rose by 1.5 percent, driven by a 2.5 percent increase in the prices of fresh, chilled, or frozen meat. Prices in the restaurant and accommodation services sector also increased by 1.1 percent, fueled by a 1.4 percent rise in food and beverage service prices.

The personal care, social protection, and other goods and services sector also saw a 5.9 percent increase, driven by a 19.9 percent rise in the prices of other personal goods, influenced by a 22 percent increase in the prices of jewelry and watches. Prices in the transportation sector rose by 1.6 percent, driven by a 7.1 percent increase in passenger transport services. Prices in the insurance and financial services sector increased by 8.2 percent, fueled by a 13.2 percent rise in insurance group prices.

While prices in the furniture, household appliances, and routine home maintenance sector decreased by 0.5 percent, driven by a 4.3 percent drop in furniture, furnishings, and carpets prices, prices in the information and communication sector also declined by 0.2 percent, influenced by a 6.3 percent decrease in information and communication equipment prices.

The Kingdom’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) recorded an annual rate of 2.9 percent in October 2025, relative to the same period in 2024, with a monthly increase of 0.5 percent compared to September 2025. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the changes in prices paid by consumers for a fixed basket of 582 goods and services, while the WPI measures price movements for a fixed basket of 343 goods at the pre-retail stage.