The cost of essential commodities in Malé rose modestly in December 2025, with the Essential Commodities Price Index increasing by 0.51 percent compared to November, according to the latest data released by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics.
The overall ECPI for Malé stood at 113.82 in December. On a year-on-year basis, prices increased by 0.95 percent compared to December 2024, indicating relatively contained inflation for essential goods despite month-on-month pressures.
Food prices were the main contributor to the monthly increase, rising by 0.68 percent compared to November. Within the food category, vegetable prices recorded a notable month-on-month increase of 5.05 percent, while prices of milk, other dairy products and eggs rose by 1.12 percent. Sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery also saw a 1.07 percent increase over the month. These increases were partially offset by declines in fish prices, which fell by 1.46 percent, and other food products not elsewhere classified, which declined by 0.31 percent.
On an annual basis, food prices in December were 0.43 percent higher than a year earlier. The largest year-on-year increases were recorded for sugar and confectionery products, oil and fats, and other food products, while vegetable prices were significantly lower compared to December 2024, declining by 9.22 percent.
Prices of personal care products increased by 0.39 percent month-on-month and by 4.48 percent year-on-year, making it one of the categories with the strongest annual growth. Beverages recorded a slight month-on-month decline of 0.04 percent, although prices were 2.45 percent higher compared to the same period last year, driven largely by higher prices for coffee and tea-related products.
Gas and other fuels provided some relief to overall inflation in December, with prices declining by 0.19 percent compared to November. On a year-on-year basis, prices in this category were 1.02 percent lower than in December 2024.
The ECPI, which tracks price movements of a basket of essential goods including food, beverages, fuel and personal care products, is used as an early indicator of inflationary pressures affecting households in Malé. Food items account for more than 70 percent of the index’s overall weight, making shifts in food prices particularly influential on monthly movements in the ECPI.
