The Czech Republic’s annual inflation rate slowed to 1.4% in February 2026, down from 1.6% in January, in line with preliminary estimates. This was the lowest rate since October 2016. The deceleration was driven by weaker price growth in several categories, including food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.4% vs. 1.3% in January), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (4.0% vs. 4.7%), furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance (1.1% vs. 1.3%), health (3.9% vs. 4.4%), recreation and culture (1.7% vs. 2.5%), and restaurants and hotels (4.6% vs. 4.9%).
In contrast, costs rose more sharply for information and communication (2.4% vs. 1.5%) and education (4.1% vs. 4.0%). Meanwhile, price declines moderated for clothing and footwear (-2.3% vs. -2.6%) and transportation (-1.5% vs. -1.6%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell by 0.1% in February, reversing a 0.9% increase in the previous month.
