Cyprus’ annual inflation rate remained at 5.2 per cent in September, according to a flash estimate by Eurostat, leaving the country among the member states with the highest inflation rates as euro area inflation accelerated to 3.8 per cent.

The September estimate for Cyprus was unchanged from August, when inflation had already reached 5.2 per cent, while prices were estimated to have fallen by 0.4 per cent month-on-month.

The figures marked a sharp increase from the 0.0 per cent annual inflation recorded in Cyprus in September 2025, with inflation subsequently rising to 3.0 per cent in April 2026, 3.5 per cent in May, 4.1 per cent in June, 4.4 per cent in July and 5.2 per cent in August.

Cyprus’ September rate was well above the 3.8 per cent euro area average, although it was below the highest estimated rates recorded among member states.

Lithuania recorded the highest annual inflation rate at 6.1 per cent, followed by Bulgaria at 5.6 per cent, while Cyprus and Luxembourg both stood at 5.2 per cent.

Greece recorded an estimated 5.1 per cent, while Spain stood at 5.0 per cent and Belgium at 4.6 per cent.

At the other end of the scale, Malta recorded an estimated annual inflation rate of 2.4 per cent, while Finland stood at 2.6 per cent and Latvia at 2.9 per cent.

The Netherlands recorded 3.0 per cent, while Germany stood at 3.3 per cent, France at 3.4 per cent, Austria at 3.5 per cent and Portugal at 3.6 per cent.

Italy recorded an estimated 4.1 per cent annual rate, while Croatia stood at 4.3 per cent and Ireland at 3.8 per cent.

For Cyprus, the latest figures represent a continuation of the rapid rise in inflation seen since the start of the year, although the September monthly rate indicates that consumer prices fell during the month.

The euro area annual inflation rate was estimated at 3.8 per cent in September, up from 3.2 per cent in August, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

The euro area increase was driven particularly by energy prices, which were estimated to have recorded an annual inflation rate of 18.8 per cent in September, up from 14.3 per cent in August.

Services followed with an annual inflation rate of 3.2 per cent, compared with 3.0 per cent in August.

Food, alcohol and tobacco inflation was estimated at 1.4 per cent, up from 1.1 per cent, while inflation for non-energy industrial goods eased slightly to 1.1 per cent from 1.2 per cent.

The sharp increase in energy inflation represents a major change from earlier in the year and was the largest annual rate among the main components of euro area inflation in September.

The euro area estimate covers 21 countries following Bulgaria’s entry into the single currency area at the start of 2026.

Across the wider euro area, inflation was estimated at 5.2 per cent in Luxembourg, 5.1 per cent in Greece and 5.0 per cent in Spain, while Belgium stood at 4.6 per cent and Croatia at 4.3 per cent.

France recorded an estimated rate of 3.4 per cent, Germany 3.3 per cent and Italy 4.1 per cent, while Slovakia was at 3.1 per cent and Slovenia at 3.7 per cent.

Among the countries with lower inflation, Estonia recorded 3.0 per cent, Latvia 2.9 per cent, Malta 2.4 per cent and Finland 2.6 per cent.

The September figures also showed significant differences in monthly price movements.

Cyprus recorded an estimated monthly decline of 0.4 per cent, while France recorded a 0.4 per cent fall and Malta a 0.9 per cent decline.

By contrast, Italy recorded the largest monthly increase among the countries listed, at 2.0 per cent, followed by Greece at 1.8 per cent.

Luxembourg and Portugal both recorded monthly increases of 1.0 per cent, while Lithuania recorded a 0.9 per cent increase.

Germany, Spain and Austria each recorded monthly inflation of 0.6 per cent, while Estonia and Finland recorded increases of 0.5 per cent.

The Netherlands recorded a monthly decline of 0.1 per cent, while Bulgaria recorded a fall of 0.1 per cent.

The September estimate is based on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, the measure used by Eurostat to make inflation rates comparable across European Union member states.

Annual inflation measures the change in consumer prices between the current month and the same month of the previous year, while the monthly rate compares prices with those recorded in the previous month.