Kuwait Expats Feel the Pinch as Rising Prices Hit Wallets

KUWAIT CITY, July 20: Kuwait’s consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, increased by 2.19 percent year-on-year at the end of June, driven by higher prices across several main expenditure groups, official data showed on Monday. The Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) said the annual inflation rate was mainly attributed to increases in the prices of food, healthcare, clothing, education, and miscellaneous goods and services.

According to the data, the food and beverages group recorded the highest annual increase, rising 5.55 percent compared with June 2025, while tobacco and cigarette prices remained unchanged. The clothing and footwear index rose 0.89 percent year-on-year, while housing services increased 0.16 percent. Prices for household furnishings and maintenance climbed 1.11 percent, and the healthcare index advanced 1.03 percent. The transport group posted a notable annual increase of 4.83 percent, while communications prices rose 1.03 percent. Recreation and culture recorded a 1.13 percent increase, and education prices were up 1.02 percent. The CSB added that restaurant and hotel prices increased by 0.22 percent annually, while miscellaneous goods and services registered a 5.8 percent rise. Every month, food and beverage prices edged up 0.18 percent in June compared with May, while annual inflation excluding the food and beverage group stood at 1.43 percent.  (KUNA)