Austria’s annual inflation rate climbed to 3.2% in March 2026, slightly above the preliminary estimate of 3.1% and up from 2.2% in February. This was the highest rate since December 2025, largely driven by a sharp acceleration in transport costs, which surged 6.4% year-on-year after a 0.9% increase in the previous month.
Price growth also picked up for housing and utilities, rising 2.7% compared with 1.5% in February. Inflation remained unchanged for education services, at 5.2%, and for restaurants and accommodations, at 5.0%.
By contrast, inflation eased for alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics (2.8% vs 4.8% previously), as well as for personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods (3.9% vs 4.1%). Prices actually declined in clothing and footwear (-0.5% vs +0.8%) and in information and communications (-2.7% vs -3.3%).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.2% in March, after a 0.8% increase in February. The harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) advanced 3.1% year-on-year and 1.1% month-on-month.
