Rwanda’s headline inflation slowed slightly to 7.1 percent year-on-year in October 2025, down from 7.3 percent in September, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) on November 10.
The CPI, which tracks the average change in prices of goods and services consumed by households, shows that inflation in urban areas stood at 7.1 percent, while rural inflation reached 3.8 percent, bringing the overall national rate to 5.1 percent. On a monthly basis, prices rose by 1 percent between September and October.
According to NISR, the slight decline in annual inflation reflects moderation in some consumer categories, though key sectors continued to experience notable price increases.
Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 1.6 percent year-on-year and by 1.1 percent month-on-month, while alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics surged by 16 percent annually. The housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels category climbed by 7.5 percent, and health costs jumped by 71.3 percent. Transport prices were up 8.5 percent, and restaurants and hotels saw a 19.1 percent increase.
Locally produced goods rose by 6.4 percent compared to the same period last year, while imported goods increased by 9.1 percent. Energy prices registered one of the sharpest rises, up 10.9 percent annually and 6.5 percent monthly, driven largely by higher utility and fuel costs.
Excluding fresh food and energy, the underlying inflation rate stood at 9 percent year-on-year and 0.8 percent month-on-month, showing that core inflation remains relatively high.
Despite the slight decline in the headline inflation rate, the continued rise in housing, health, and energy prices underscores persistent cost pressures for consumers across the country.
