LEBANON - Lebanon’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded a monthly increase of 0.48% in May 2026 compared to April 2026, according to the latest figures released by the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS).
The data reflects continued price pressures across several sectors despite ongoing economic challenges and constraints in price collection mechanisms.
On a year-on-year basis, the CPI registered a significant increase of 19.04% in May 2026 compared to May 2025, highlighting persistent inflationary trends in the country.
The annual rise underscores the continuing impact of currency instability, supply chain disruptions, and structural economic weaknesses that have affected Lebanon over recent years.
At the regional level, monthly changes in the CPI varied across Lebanese governorates, reflecting uneven inflation dynamics. Beirut recorded an increase of 0.35%, while Mount Lebanon saw a higher rise of 0.58%.
In the North, prices increased by 0.37%, whereas the Bekaa region registered a 0.39% rise. The South experienced the most notable increase at 0.82%, indicating stronger upward pressure on consumer prices in that region compared to the national average.
In contrast, the Nabatieh governorate recorded a slight decrease of 0.03%, marking the only decline among all governorates for the month.
The Central Administration of Statistics noted that the ongoing conditions in the country continue to complicate the price collection process. These difficulties are particularly pronounced in Nabatieh, where data collection remains partially constrained.
As a result, a large number of prices used in the CPI calculation for that governorate were estimated using imputed values (IMPUTED Prices), due to the inability to gather complete sets of actual market prices.
The CPI is a key indicator used to measure inflation and assess changes in the cost of living for households. The latest figures suggest that while monthly inflation remains relatively moderate, the sustained high annual rate continues to reflect broader economic pressures affecting consumers nationwide.
For detailed breakdowns of the Consumer Price Index across all governorates, CAS stated that data is available on its official website.
