CAPMAS attributed this inflation primarily to notable increases in the prices of food and beverage items, particularly fruits which jumped by 23.6%, vegetables by 3.1%, and meat and poultry by 2.8%.
The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) reported that the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Egypt rose by 1.5% in March 2025 compared to February, reaching 250.6 points.
CAPMAS attributed this inflation primarily to notable increases in the prices of food and beverage items, particularly fruits which jumped by 23.6%, vegetables by 3.1%, and meat and poultry by 2.8%.
Smaller but significant increases were also observed in cereals and bread (0.5%), fish and seafood (0.7%), dairy products (0.3%), oils and fats (0.2%), and sugary products such as sugar, coffee, tea, and cocoa.
In addition to food, prices rose in other sectors such as clothing and footwear. Fabrics increased by 0.8%, ready-made clothing by 1.5%, and footwear by 1.6%.
Housing-related expenses also climbed, with actual housing rent rising by 1.2%, maintenance and repair by 0.5%, and related services including water, electricity, and fuels increasing modestly by 0.1%.
Health services saw a notable rise, especially hospital services which surged by 4.2%, and outpatient services which rose by 0.7%.
The transport sector also witnessed price hikes, particularly vehicle purchases (0.7%), private transport spending (0.3%), and transport services (0.5%).
Cultural and recreational activities became slightly more expensive, with a 0.2% increase in services and 0.1% in publications and organized trips. In the hospitality sector, hotel services rose by 2.2% and ready-made meals by 0.5%. Prices for personal care items increased by 0.4%, and personal luggage rose by 1.8%.
Despite the overall rise in consumer prices, a few categories experienced slight declines. Home appliances saw a minor decrease of 0.2%. Nonetheless, the annual inflation rate climbed to 13.1% in March 2025, compared to 12.5% in February, with the food and beverages sector alone recording a monthly increase of 2.9.
