Inflation New Zealand 1981
Average inflation: 15.3%
Current Inflation
Inflation is very high at 15.3%, far above the ECB target.
Peak and Trough
The highest inflation was in December at 15.7%. The lowest inflation was in June at 15.1%.
- Highest month
- December: 15.7%
- Lowest month
- June: 15.1%
- Difference
- 0.6 percentage points
- Months with data
- 4 of 12
Category Insights
The highest price increase was in Food with an average of 16.8%. The lowest price increase was in Energy with an average of 9.8%.
- Highest increase
- Food: 16.8%
- Lowest increase
- Energy: 9.8%
Historical Context
Current inflation is 0.8% higher than the 5-year average of 14.5%.
- 5-year average
- 14.5%
- 10-year average
- 13%
- All-time high (1980)
- 17.2%
- All-time low (1972)
- 7%
Trend
Inflation shows an upward trend. Compared to 1980, inflation has risen by -1.9 percentage point.
- Change vs. previous year
- -1.9 percentage points
- Largest monthly swing
- March: -3.2 percentage points
ECB Target
Inflation is 13.3% 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 €115.30 next year at this inflation rate.
Multi-year trend
Monthly figures 1981
Inflation by category
Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.
Month overview
| Month | Inflation | Difference vs. 1980 |
|---|---|---|
| March | 15.2% | -3.2 |
| June | 15.1% | -2.8 |
| September | 15.4% | -0.9 |
| December | 15.7% | -0.4 |
| Average | 15.3% |
Data source
Data from WorldBank. Last updated: 04/01/2026.