Thursday, 16 October 2025
Inflation in Croatia picked up again in September, reaching 4.2% year-on-year, its highest level since late 2023, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. The figure marks a slight increase from 4.1% in August, confirming preliminary estimates released earlier this month.
The main drivers behind the uptick were higher prices in housing, utilities, and energy, which recorded some of the sharpest annual gains. Food and non-alcoholic beverages also continued to rise, though at a slower pace than in previous months.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.4% compared with August, suggesting steady upward pressure across several categories despite easing inflation in some essentials. Non-food goods excluding energy saw one of the largest month-to-month increases, while prices for services and food showed modest declines.
The inflation pattern reflects a mix of domestic and imported pressures. While global energy costs have stabilized, housing and utility prices in Croatia remain elevated, rising by nearly 9% compared with the same month last year. Food prices, up about 5.7% year-on-year, continue to strain household budgets, though the pace of growth has eased slightly.
The country’s harmonised inflation rate, which allows for EU-wide comparison, stood at 4.1%, underscoring that Croatia’s price growth remains above the euro area average. Cumulatively, consumer prices increased 3.4% from January to September, while the 12-month average inflation rate for the period from October 2024 to September 2025 was 3.8%.
Economists note that the latest figures confirm a gradual slowdown from the high inflation peaks seen in 2022, but the persistence of energy and housing costs continues to delay a return to the European Central Bank’s 2% target. Croatia’s inflation trajectory in the final quarter of 2025 will likely depend on global energy markets, domestic wage pressures, and the pace of consumer demand.
