Inflation Ethiopia 2019

Average inflation: 15.7%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 15.7%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in November at 20.8%. The lowest inflation was in January at 11.0%.

Highest month
November: 20.8%
Lowest month
January: 11.0%
Difference
9.8 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Food with an average of 18.8%. The lowest price increase was in Energy with an average of 10.9%.

Highest increase
Food: 18.8%
Lowest increase
Energy: 10.9%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 4.1% higher than the 5-year average of 11.6%. This approaches the highest level since records began (15.7% in 2019).

5-year average
11.6%
10-year average
11.1%
All-time high (2019)
15.7%
All-time low (2016)
7.3%

Trend

Inflation shows an upward trend. Compared to 2018, inflation has risen by +1.8 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+1.8 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
November: +11.7 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 13.7% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.

Purchasing Power

At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €115.70 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2019

Inflation by category

Food
18.8%
+3.1vs avg.
More details →
Energy
10.9%
-4.8vs avg.
More details →

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

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2018
January 11.0% -5.7
February 11.0% -5.0
March 11.1% -4.4
April 12.9% -1.1
May 16.3% +1.0
June 15.3% -1.5
July 15.5% +0.2
August 18.0% +3.9
September 18.6% +6.9
October 18.7% +6.5
November 20.8% +11.7
December 19.6% +9.0
Average 15.7%

Data source

Data from WorldBank. Last updated: 06/01/2026.

See also