Turkey’s annual inflation stood at 29.77% in October, falling below 30% for the first time in five years, according to figures announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).
Consumer prices rose 2.58% from the previous month and 27.52% from Dec 2025, the data showed.
The 12-month average inflation rate, which is used to calculate rent increases, stood at 31.23%.
Despite the decline, Turkey remained among the five countries with the highest annual inflation rates worldwide. Venezuela recorded inflation of 466%, followed by Iran at 87.9%, South Sudan at 58.21% and Argentina at 33.4%. Cuba stood at 28.44%, Syria at 24.8% and Rwanda at 20%.
Highest inflation in education and housing
Education recorded the highest annual price increase among the main spending categories, at 48.86%. It was followed by health at 43.29% and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 40.24%.
Transportation prices rose 36.39% year-on-year, while insurance and financial services increased 31.41%. Food and non-alcoholic beverages were 27.73% more expensive than a year earlier.
Among the three categories with the largest weights in the index, food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed 6.81 percentage points to annual inflation. Transportation contributed 6.10 points and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels contributed 4.71 points.
Clothing and footwear posted the largest monthly increase among the main spending categories, rising 12.58% in October.
Food inflation
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased 3.50% from September. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 2.84%, while transportation prices increased 2.02%.
Food contributed 0.84 percentage points to monthly inflation, compared with 0.36 points from transportation and 0.34 points from housing.
Fresh produce was a major driver of the monthly increase in food prices. Fresh fruit and vegetable prices jumped 14.66%, while unprocessed food rose 6.04% and processed food increased 1.66%.
Prices for fresh or chilled leafy and stem vegetables surged 71.79% from September. Vegetables grown for their fruit, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini, rose 26.77%, while other fresh fruit increased 27.82%.
Turkey ranks fourth globally in food inflation
Prices for information and communication rose 1.15% month-on-month. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance increased 0.82%.
Of the 174 subclasses tracked by TurkStat, prices rose in 134 in October. Prices declined in 29 subclasses and were unchanged in 11.
Energy prices rose 4.92% from the previous month and 51.37% year-on-year. Diesel prices increased 76.59% from a year earlier, gasoline rose 54.30% and natural gas and related subscription fees increased 60.62%. (HA/VK)
