In January, the consumer price index was up by 3.7% year on year

Lauri Veski, the Consumer Price Statistics Service Manager at Statistics Estonia, said that the last time that the year-on-year increase in the consumer price index was at a similar level was a year ago, in January 2025, when the consumer price index rose by 3.9%.

“The rise in the consumer price index for January 2026 compared with December was primarily influenced by electricity, food and alcoholic beverages. The exchange prices of electricity soared in January, so that the electricity price index was up by 22.2% compared with December. Food prices were up by 2.3% in January, with 11.1% more expensive vegetables and 2% more expensive meat and meat products having the biggest impact. The 5.3% rise in alcohol prices can be attributed to the end of discount sales and to the higher excise duty rates in force since January,” added Veski.

Compared with December, the index for January was driven down by 3.8% cheaper clothing and footwear, due to the customary January sales. The index was also influenced by 17% cheaper international flights and 15.9% cheaper holiday trips. Petrol was 1.7% and diesel fuel 1.1% cheaper in January.

Compared with January 2025, among the major commodity groups, there was a 4.9% decrease in the prices of clothing and footwear and a 1.5% decrease in transport prices. Lower transport prices were mainly related to the 13% fall in the cost of petrol last year. Food and non-alcoholic beverages were 6% more expensive than in January 2025. “Housing costs were up by 5.6% year on year, which can be explained by the sharp rise in electricity prices,” said Veski to explain the year-on-year change in the index.

The 6% increase in food prices compared with January 2025 was most affected by the price increases of fresh or frozen meat (13.3%), coffee (23.1%) and citrus fruits (30.8%). Year on year, there was a decrease in the prices of fresh or frozen fish (0.7%) and fresh berries (4.7%).

The weights of the consumer price index have been updated

As prices and the consumption patterns of the population continuously change, Statistics Estonia updates the weights system of the consumer price index and the representative goods every year. Starting from the January index, the base prices used for calculations are the prices of December 2025. To ensure comparability with previous periods, the consumer price index will continue to be published on the base 1997 = 100.

In addition to the change in the consumer price index by commodity groups, the table for January 2026 includes the expenditure structure (i.e. the weights of commodity groups) used in 2025 as well as the expenditure structure used starting from the January 2026 index.

See also the consumer price index calculator and the prices section on our website.

For the statistical activity “Consumer price index”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Finance, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data

Data as at 16 February 2026 are published. The indicator values may change if there are any revisions made in the data sources after this date.

More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.

For further information:

Susann Kivi
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 5696 6484
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee)

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