October 20, 2023 – The Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS) published the second estimate of the consumer price index, according to which inflation in Croatia in September 2023 was 6.7 percent compared to September 2022.
Compared to August 2023, inflation in Croatia was 0.5 percent, writes Glas Slavonije. The CBS therefore corrected their first estimate, published on September 29, according to which the annual inflation was 6.6 percent, and the monthly inflation was 0.4 percent.
However, despite a slight correction, inflation slowed considerably on an annual basis, given that it amounted to 7.8 percent in August. The rate of 6.7 percent is the lowest inflation rate since February last year when it was 6.3 percent.
Increase in all categories
Observed according to the main groups of the ECOICOP classification, all categories increased on an annual basis, and the highest increase in consumer prices was achieved on average in the category of restaurants and hotels, by 12.5 percent. This is followed by food and non-alcoholic beverages with 10.4 percent and the category of furniture, home equipment and regular household maintenance with seven percent.
Prices in the categories of recreation, culture, and health increased by 6.7 percent each, various goods and services by 6.3 percent. The categories of alcoholic beverages and tobacco and transportation saw an increase of 5.5 percent each, education of 4.9 percent; while the increase in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels was 3.6 percent. The mildest growth was recorded in communications, by 2.9 percent, and clothing and footwear, by 2.6 percent.
According to the main components of the index, in the food, drink, and tobacco component, the annual price increase was 9.6 percent. The prices of services increased by 6.9 percent, industrial non-food products sans energy by five percent, while the price of energy increased by four percent, according to the CBS.
At the monthly level, the prices of clothing and footwear increased the most, by 13.1 percent. Price of education increased by 2.7 percent. This is followed by transport with an increase of 1.4 percent, health with 0.5 percent, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 0.4 percent, etc. The biggest price drop was recorded in restaurants and hotels, by 3.5 percent.
