06.02.202609:16:06UTC+00Armenia Inflation Rate Hits 7-Month High

Armenia's inflation rate accelerated to 3.8% annually in January 2026, up from 3.3% in December, reaching its peak since June 2025. Price surges were notable in several sectors: food and non-alcoholic beverages climbed by 5.9% compared to 4.3% in the previous month; health expenses rose by 3% from 2.5%; alcoholic beverages and tobacco prices increased to 9% from 7.3%; furnishing and household equipment costs slightly rose by 0.7% from 0.2%; and restaurant and hotel prices edged up to 3.2% from 2.9%. Meanwhile, there was no change in the costs for clothing and footwear, which held steady at 0.3%, and education remained stable at 8.3%. In contrast, the prices for housing and utilities saw a slight decrease of 0.1%, down from a 0.3% increase. Inflation rates eased in other areas: transport costs fell to 4.3% from 6.2%; miscellaneous goods and services rates decreased to 2.2% from 2.8%; communication costs dipped to 0.5% from 0.6%; and recreation and culture expenses decreased to 0.2% from 0.9%. On a month-to-month comparison, consumer prices rose by 2% in January, following a 1.2% increase in December.