Malta’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.1% in May 2026, down from 2.5% in April, marking the lowest level since March 2025. The deceleration was largely driven by continued price declines in clothing and footwear (-4.3% vs -5.8% in April). Prices also fell further for information and communication (-2.5% vs -2.4%) and for insurance and financial services (-2.5% vs -2.4%).
Inflation also eased across several major categories, including food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.0% vs 3.8%), furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (2.4% vs 2.8%), recreation, sports and culture (3.9% vs 4.4%), restaurants and accommodation services (3.6% vs 4.0%), and miscellaneous goods and services (3.0% vs 3.1%).
By contrast, price growth accelerated for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.5% vs 1.3%), housing and utilities (2.5% vs 2.3%), and transport (2.9% vs 2.5%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.4% in May, slowing from a 3.4% increase in the previous month.
