The Maldives’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.27% in February 2025 compared to the previous month, showing a slight easing from January’s 0.33% increase, according to figures released by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics.
Price growth excluding fish was more pronounced, registering a 0.43% increase compared to just 0.08% in January, suggesting broader inflationary pressures were tempered by falling fish prices. Indeed, fish prices dropped 2.70%, driven by notable reductions in reef fish and fish paste.
One of the most significant contributors to the month-on-month inflation was the Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels category, which increased by 0.76%. This was primarily due to a 3.88% surge in electricity prices and a 0.56% rise in water charges. The Information and Communication category also registered a marked increase of 0.66%, largely on account of higher mobile communication service prices, which rose by 1.86%.
Food prices edged up by 0.12% overall, but this masked a mixed picture. While prices for items like coconut (dry nut), lime, garlic, and grapes surged, several common vegetables and fruits such as onions, tomatoes, and apples saw sharp declines. Vegetables as a whole declined by 4.68%, offsetting some of the broader food inflation.
The Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services category rose 0.42%, with a 3.54% increase in soap prices noted. Meanwhile, prices in Restaurants and Accommodation Services grew by 0.17%, and Tobacco and Aracanuts rose 0.16%, pushed up by a 2.28% rise in aracanuts.
On the downside, Transport costs fell by 0.49% due to a 7.10% drop in international airfares. There were also modest decreases in furnishing and household equipment prices, notably air conditioners, which fell by 1.23%.
Inflation at the annual level stood at 5.14% for the Republic. In Male’, annual inflation reached 4.79%, while the Atolls experienced a higher rate at 5.66%. Over the past year, the most striking increase came from the Tobacco and Aracanut category, which soared by 89.85% at the national level, with even higher increases recorded in Male’ at 113.42%. The steepest fall came from Information and Communication, which declined 5.67% nationwide.
Regionally, the Atolls saw a sharper rise in the CPI (0.36%) compared to Male’ (0.22%) in February. The Atolls’ increase was led by electricity prices and building material costs, while Male’ also saw electricity costs rise, but experienced a significant drop in airfare prices.
Though monthly inflation eased slightly, the persistence of cost increases in essential categories like housing, utilities, and mobile communication indicates that inflationary pressures remain a concern for Maldivian households.
