YANGON — The Myanmar Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased every year since 2001 and was Asia’s third-highest last year, according to World Bank Open Data.
The CPI measures the average change over time in the prices of a basket of consumer goods and services.
The index shows positive and negative price changes experienced by the average consumer in eight major categories — food and beverages; housing; clothing; transportation; medical care; recreation; education; and communication — along with some other goods and services.
An increase in the CPI is a measure of inflation, showing how much more consumers are spending on goods and services. A decrease means the economy is experiencing deflation — a sustained decrease in the prices of goods and services.
According to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Financial Statistics database, Myanmar’s CPI has never declined. In other words, people in Myanmar are constantly having to pay more and more for their daily goods and services. Myanmar’s CPI more than tripled between 2005 and 2017.
Explore The Irrawaddy’s interactive graphics to see how Myanmar’s CPI index has climbed in recent decades.
Myanmar’s Consumer Price Index (1990-2017)
Myanmar CPI’s index is higher than those of Thailand and Cambodia, according to World Bank data. Explore the interactive line chart to compare the CPIs of the three countries over time.
Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand’s Consumer Price Indexes (1990-2017)
Myanmar’s Inflation Rate (2013-17)
