Fiji’s annual inflation rate quickened to 3.9% in May 2026 from 1.8% in April, reaching its highest level since July 2024, largely on the back of rising fuel costs amid higher global oil prices. The pickup was chiefly driven by a sharp increase in transport prices (7.5% vs 1.1% in April), also the strongest rise since July 2024. Food inflation accelerated to 3.0%, the highest since January 2025, while housing prices rebounded (1.5% vs -0.8%), posting their fastest increase since September 2024.
At the same time, inflation eased for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (12.5% vs 12.9%) and for miscellaneous goods and services (2.9% vs 3.2%), and remained unchanged for education (0.4%). In contrast, prices continued to decline for clothing and footwear (-1.2% vs -1.2%), recreation and culture (-2.8% vs -3.2%), and furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance (-1.1% vs -1.0%). On a monthly basis, the CPI rose 1.6% in May, slowing from a 2.1% increase in April, which had been the fastest monthly gain since August 2023.
