Inflation South Africa 2013

Average inflation: 5.8%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 5.8%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in July at 6.5%. The lowest inflation was in December at 5.2%.

Highest month
July: 6.5%
Lowest month
December: 5.2%
Difference
1.3 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Education with an average of 9.0%. The lowest price increase was in Communication with an average of 1.2%.

Highest increase
Education: 9.0%
Lowest increase
Communication: 1.2%

Historical Context

Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 5.6%.

5-year average
5.6%
10-year average
4.9%
All-time high (2008)
9.9%
All-time low (2004)
-0.7%

Trend

Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2012, the difference is minimal (+0.1 percentage point).

Change vs. previous year
+0.1 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
July: +1.7 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 3.8% 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 €105.80 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2013

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
5.7%
-0.1vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
7.0%
+1.2vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
3.2%
-2.6vs avg.
More details →
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
5.7%
-0.1vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
3.2%
-2.6vs avg.
More details →
Health
4.7%
-1.1vs avg.
More details →
Transport
6.2%
+0.4vs avg.
More details →
Communication
1.2%
-4.6vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
3.3%
-2.5vs avg.
More details →
Education
9.0%
+3.2vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
6.7%
+0.9vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
7.0%
+1.3vs avg.
More details →

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

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2012
January 5.7% -0.3
February 6.0% -0.2
March 6.2% +0.1
April 5.8% -0.5
May 5.6% -0.3
June 5.4% -0.3
July 6.5% +1.7
August 6.3% +0.9
September 6.0% +0.6
October 5.4% -0.1
November 5.4% -0.3
December 5.2% -0.5
Average 5.8%

Data source

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

See also