Consumer price inflation ticks up to 3.6% in December

Consumer price inflation has ticked by a percentage point, rising to 3.6% in December from 3.5% in November.

The latest figures mean South Africa ended 2025 with an average inflation rate of 3.2%, the lowest annual average in more than two decades.

While overall inflation remains relatively subdued, households are feeling very different pressures across food, transport and rent categories.

On paper, inflation may look calm, but it tells a more mixed story in the trolley and at the till.

Meat prices continue to bite hard, as beef, boerewors and sausages record double-digit increases, with beef steak now costing nearly 30% more than a year ago.

Bread and cereal products are also slowly creeping up, even as maize meal offers some relief after a second month of declines.

There is a bit of breathing room for dairy lovers, with milk cheaper than in 2025, though cheese continues to defy the trend.

On the property front, rentals rose modestly, especially for townhouses and flats, while domestic workers saw pay increases that still lag behind inflation.

Fuel prices were relatively steady, but festive season travel hit hard, with long-distance bus fares jumping sharply in December.

But for many households, the reality is that what you buy, not the average, determines how far your money goes.