Inflation Switzerland 2021

Average inflation: 0.6%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very low at 0.6%, well below the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in November at 1.5%. The lowest inflation was in January at -0.5%.

Highest month
November: 1.5%
Lowest month
January: -0.5%
Difference
2.0 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Transport with an average of 4.0%. The lowest price increase was in Food and non-alcoholic beverages with an average of -1.6%.

Highest increase
Transport: 4.0%
Lowest increase
Food and non-alcoholic beverages: -1.6%

Historical Context

Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 0.3%.

5-year average
0.3%
10-year average
-0.1%
All-time high (2008)
2.4%
All-time low (2015)
-1.1%

Trend

Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2020, the difference is minimal (+1.3 percentage point).

Change vs. previous year
+1.3 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
December: +2.3 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 1.4% below the ECB target of 2.0%. Too low inflation may indicate economic weakness.

Purchasing Power

At this inflation rate, purchasing power gradually decreases. The impact on daily expenses is relatively limited.

What you could buy for CHF 100 this year will cost approximately CHF 100.60 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2021

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
-1.6%
-2.2 vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
0.3%
-0.3 vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
-0.4%
-1.0 vs avg.
More details →
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
1.5%
+0.9 vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
1.4%
+0.8 vs avg.
More details →
Health
-0.3%
-0.9 vs avg.
More details →
Transport
4.0%
+3.4 vs avg.
More details →
Communication
-0.8%
-1.4 vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
-0.8%
-1.4 vs avg.
More details →
Education
0.8%
+0.2 vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
0.9%
+0.3 vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
0.1%
-0.5 vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2020
January -0.5% -0.7
February -0.5% -0.4
March -0.2% +0.3
April 0.3% +1.4
May 0.6% +1.9
June 0.6% +1.9
July 0.7% +1.6
August 0.9% +1.8
September 0.9% +1.7
October 1.2% +1.8
November 1.5% +2.2
December 1.5% +2.3
Average 0.6%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 13/01/2026.

See also