The annual inflation rate in Romania in May 2026 (compared to May 2025) was 10.9%, the highest level in the last 12 months, according to data published on Friday, June 12, by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). In April, the inflation rate stood at 10.7%.
The largest price increases were recorded in services, which became 13.53% more expensive over one year. During the same period, prices of non-food goods increased by 12.54%, while food goods rose by 6.78%.
The inflation rate since the beginning of the year (May 2026 compared with December 2025) was 3.7%. The average rate of change in consumer prices over the last 12 months (June 2025 – May 2026) compared with the previous 12 months (June 2024 – May 2025) was 9.4%.
Inflation also vastly outpaced year-on-year average salary growth, which was 3.5%, as reported by INS.
For food products, the largest price increases remained in coffee, for which prices increased by 21.12%, according to INS data. Eggs ranked second with a price increase of 14.12%, while beef became 11.58% more expensive. Prices in the sugar products, confectionery products, and honey category increased by 10.59%. Significant increases were also recorded for cow’s milk (11.98%), bread (8.18%), and fresh fruit (7.04%), while poultry became 6.88% more expensive.
In the alcoholic beverages category, the price of beer increased by 7.98% over the last year, and wine by 6.57%. Other notable price increases were recorded for fresh fish (7.83%), oil (6.11%), citrus fruits (3.66%), and cottage cheese, which became 5.61% more expensive.
There were also price reductions in May 2026 compared with May 2025 for some food products, such as potatoes (-11.32%), beans and other legumes (-3.08%), flour (-4.38%), cornmeal (-5.27%), and sugar (-1.32%). Butter reduced in price by only 0.11%.
Among non-food goods, the most significant increases in May continued to be electricity tariffs, which rose by 55.49% following the removal of the support scheme capping electricity prices. Other tariff increases in this category were recorded for fuels, namely gasoline, up by 30.55%, and diesel, up by 36.85%. Thermal energy increased by 10.70%, books, newspapers, and magazines by 10.62%, detergents by 10.19%, and tobacco and cigarettes by 7.42%.
Additionally, medicines increased in price in May by 4.36%, while hygiene products and cosmetics also became 7.14% more expensive. Between May 2025 and May 2026, gas prices increased by 1.53%.
In the services category, the largest price increases in May 2026 compared with the same month in 2025 were recorded for rents, which increased by 43.56%, according to INS, although the data is disputed. Significant increases were also registered in water, sewage, and sanitation tariffs (+15.35%), car repairs (+15.31%), and hygiene and cosmetic services (+14.72%).
Other notable increases in this category over the course of a year were recorded for shoe and clothing manufacturing and repair services (+14.81%). At the same time, medical assistance became 12.81% more expensive, urban transport increased by 8.98%, and road transport by 13.18%.
The only price decrease in this category continued to be recorded in airline service tariffs, which dropped by 9.92% compared with the previous year for the same period, and compared with April 2026, air transport tariffs decreased by 7.08%.
Postal service tariffs, which had reduced their rates in previous months, increased in May 2026 by 9.65% compared with the same month in 2025.
The National Commission for Strategy and Forecasting (CNSP) revised its estimates for average annual inflation in 2026 to 7.9%, an increase of 1.4% compared with autumn forecasts, due to the intensification of the conflict in the Middle East, according to the 2026–2029 macroeconomic forecast, spring edition.
Euro area annual inflation is expected to be 3.2% in May 2026, up compared to April 2026.
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