Consumer prices in Saudi Arabia rose by 1.9% year-on-year in September 2026, falling short of market expectations for a 2.1% gain but up from a 1.8% increase in August. The latest figure also marked the fastest rise since December last year, driven primarily by higher costs for food and beverages (at 1.4%), housing and utilities (3.6% vs 3.9% in August), and transportation (2.3% vs 2.0%). Inflation also continued to increase for recreation, sport and culture (2.5% vs 2.8%), restaurants and accommodation services (1.9% vs 1.4%), insurance and financial services (2.0% vs 1.7%), and personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods (3.3% vs 3.5%). On the other hand, prices declined for clothing and footwear (-0.4% vs -0.5%) and furnishings, household equipment and maintenance (-0.5% vs -0.6%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices remained unchanged in September, missing market forecasts for a 0.1% rise and following a 0.1% gain in the preceding period.