Lebanon’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 16.7% in August 2026, up from a five‑month low of 15.7% in July. Price growth quickened in several major categories, including housing and utilities (17.9% vs 14.5% in July); furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (9.6% vs 6.8%); transportation (31.7% vs 27.6%); recreation, amusement and culture (45.7% vs 43.2%); health (7.4% vs 7.3%); and alcoholic beverages and tobacco (7.1% vs 7.0%). Education costs were unchanged, with inflation holding at 35.72%.
By contrast, inflation slowed in food and non‑alcoholic beverages (11.7% vs 14.5%), clothing and footwear (1.2% vs 1.7%), restaurants and hotels (14.3% vs 14.6%), and miscellaneous goods and services (15.7% vs 16.3%). On a month‑to‑month basis, consumer prices rose 1.4% in August, rebounding from a 0.03% decline recorded in July.
