Saudi Gazette report

Riyadh — The annual inflation rate in Saudi Arabia stood at 2.3 percent in April 2025, maintaining the same rate of the previous month of this year and the same month of 2024. Consumer Price Index or inflation was mainly impacted by an 11.9 percent increase in apartment rents, according to the monthly statistics bulletin published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) on Thursday.

The report showed that housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel prices rose by 6.8 percent, driven by an 8.1 percent increase in residential rents, impacted by an 11.9 percent increase in apartment rents. The increase in this category had a significant impact on the continued pace of annual inflation in April, given its weight of 25.5 percent.

Food and beverage prices rose by 2.2 percent, driven by a 9.4 percent increase in vegetable prices. Meanwhile, the education category recorded a 1.3 percent increase, impacted by a 5.6 percent increase in post-secondary non-tertiary education fees.

According to the GASTAT report, prices for the miscellaneous personal goods and services category rose by 3.5 percent, impacted by a 21.9 percent increase in the prices of jewelry, watches, and valuable antiques. Restaurant and hotel prices also rose by 2 percent, driven by a 2 percent increase in catering services.

On the other hand, prices for the home furnishings and equipment category fell by 1.8 percent, impacted by a 3.5 percent decrease in the prices of furniture, carpets, and floor coverings. Prices for the clothing and footwear category fell by 1.2 percent, impacted by a 2.1 percent decrease in the prices of ready-made garments. Prices for the transportation category also fell by one percent, impacted by a 1.8 percent decrease in the purchase price of vehicles.

The Consumer Price Index witnessed a 0.4 percent decrease in the prices of the recreation and culture category, while the transportation, communications, and health categories recorded a 0.1 percent decrease. Tobacco product prices remained relatively unchanged in April 2025.

According to GASTAT, the Consumer Price Index measures the price of a fixed basket of 490 goods and services paid by consumers. The basket is selected based on a 2018 household income and expenditure survey, which determined the items and their respective weights. Prices are collected through on-site visits to sales points. The CPI statistics are published monthly.