Malta’s annual inflation rate increased to 2.4% in September 2026, up from 2.0% in August, marking the highest level since April. The acceleration was driven by faster price growth in several categories: food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.5% vs 1.6% in August), clothing and footwear (2.2% vs 1.6%), housing and utilities (3.4% vs 3.1%), transportation (2.9% vs 2.3%), health (2.9% vs 2.8%), recreation and culture (3.6% vs 3.2%), restaurants and hotels (3.5% vs 2.9%), and insurance and financial services (0.8% vs 0.7%).
Meanwhile, price pressures eased in furnishings and household equipment (0.8% vs 1.1%) and miscellaneous goods and services (3.6% vs 3.7%), while deflation intensified in information and communication (-3.7% vs -3.4%). Inflation was unchanged for alcoholic beverages and tobacco (1.8%) and for education (3.2%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices declined by 0.9% in September, following a 0.6% increase in August.