The annual inflation rate in the Netherlands eased to 2.4% in January 2026, in line with preliminary estimates and down from a revised 2.9% in December. This was the lowest rate since December 2023, primarily reflecting a marked slowdown in price growth for food and non-alcoholic beverages (2% vs 3.3%).
Inflation also moderated in several other categories, including housing and utilities (3.8% vs 4.1%), health (1% vs 4.5%), recreation, sports and culture (2.2% vs 3.2%), restaurants and accommodation (3.9% vs 4.7%), insurance and financial services (4.2% vs 6.1%), and miscellaneous goods and services (3.8% vs 4%).
At the same time, prices declined for clothing and footwear (-0.5% vs 1%) and for information and communication (-0.6% vs -1.9%). By contrast, transport costs accelerated slightly (2.1% vs 1.9%), as did prices for household goods and services (1.5% vs 0.5%).
On a monthly basis, the consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.7% in January, following a 0.2% increase in December. Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) inflation, which excludes owner-occupied housing, rose 2.2% year-on-year, easing from 2.7% in December.
