Croatia’s annual inflation rate slowed in May, but the country continued to record one of the highest price-growth levels in the eurozone, according to the first estimate released by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.
Consumer prices in Croatia were 5.2% higher in May 2026 compared with the same month last year. On a monthly basis, prices were 0.2% lower than in April, signaling a slight easing after several months of stronger inflationary pressure. The slowdown came after inflation reached 5.8% in April, its highest level since October 2023.
The main driver of annual price growth remained energy, which was estimated to be 16.9% more expensive than a year earlier. Services also continued to rise sharply, increasing by 7.9% year-on-year. Prices of food, beverages and tobacco were up 2.3%, while industrial non-food products excluding energy were 0.7% cheaper compared with May 2025.
Compared with April, energy prices fell by 2%, helping bring the overall monthly index down. Services, however, rose by 0.4% month-on-month, while food, beverages and tobacco remained broadly unchanged.
Eurostat’s preliminary data, measured by the harmonized index of consumer prices, showed Croatia’s annual inflation rate at 4.9% in May. That remains well above the eurozone average of 3.2%. Only three eurozone countries recorded higher inflation than Croatia: Bulgaria at 6.3%, Lithuania at 5.1%, and Greece at 5.0%.
Croatia’s statistics office is expected to publish the final May inflation figures on June 15, 2026. Until then, the preliminary data suggest that while inflation has begun to ease, price pressure—especially in energy and services—continues to weigh heavily on Croatian consumers.
