Inflation South Korea 2026
Average inflation: 2.1%
Current Inflation
Inflation is normal at 2.1%, around the ECB target.
Peak and Trough
The highest inflation was in March at 2.2%. The lowest inflation was in January at 2.0%.
- Highest month
- March: 2.2%
- Lowest month
- January: 2.0%
- Difference
- 0.2 percentage points
- Months with data
- 3 of 12
Category Insights
The highest price increase was in Miscellaneous goods and services with an average of 4.9%. The lowest price increase was in Communication with an average of 0.5%.
- Highest increase
- Miscellaneous goods and services: 4.9%
- Lowest increase
- Communication: 0.5%
Historical Context
Current inflation is 0.9% lower than the 5-year average of 3.0%.
- 5-year average
- 3%
- 10-year average
- 2.2%
- All-time high (2022)
- 5.1%
- All-time low (2019)
- 0.4%
Trend
Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2025, the difference is minimal (+0.0 percentage point).
- Change vs. previous year
- +0.0 percentage points
- Largest monthly swing
- January: -0.2 percentage points
ECB Target
Inflation is close to the ECB target of 2.0%.
Purchasing Power
At this inflation rate, purchasing power noticeably decreases. Without a salary increase, you can buy less with the same money.
What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €102.10 next year at this inflation rate.
Multi-year trend
Monthly figures 2026
Inflation by category
Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.
Month overview
| Month | Inflation | Difference vs. 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2.0% | -0.2 |
| February | 2.0% | 0.0 |
| March | 2.2% | +0.1 |
| Average | 2.1% |
Data source
Data from OECD. Last updated: 10/04/2026.Not all months available yet.