Inflation · updated 31 Aug 2026
Prices in Uganda are rising 4.1% a year
That is the annual inflation rate for August 2026, up from 4.0% the month before. Bank of Uganda aims to keep core inflation around 5%.
…costs UGX 10,414 today.
Core inflation
3.5%
Excludes food crops and fuel, which swing a lot
Food crops
2.1%
Matooke, beans, maize, vegetables…
Energy, fuel & utilities
14.3%
Electricity, fuel, charcoal, water
Peak since 2018
10.7%
October 2022
Shopping that cost UGX 10,000 in July 2017 costs UGX 13,945 today.
Annual inflation, 2018 to today
% change in prices compared with the same month a year earlier
- All items
- Core
+ Add a category or town
| Month | All items | Core |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| Jul 2026 | 4.0% | 3.4% |
| Jun 2026 | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| May 2026 | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| Apr 2026 | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Mar 2026 | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Jan 2026 | 3.2% | 3.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 3.1% | 3.2% |
| Oct 2025 | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Sep 2025 | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| Aug 2025 | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| Jul 2025 | 3.8% | 4.1% |
| Jun 2025 | 3.9% | 4.2% |
| May 2025 | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| Apr 2025 | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| Mar 2025 | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Feb 2025 | 3.7% | 3.9% |
| Jan 2025 | 3.6% | 4.2% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.3% | 3.9% |
| Nov 2024 | 2.9% | 3.8% |
| Oct 2024 | 2.9% | 3.9% |
| Sep 2024 | 3.0% | 3.7% |
| Aug 2024 | 3.5% | 3.9% |
| Jul 2024 | 4.0% | 4.0% |
| Jun 2024 | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| May 2024 | 3.6% | 3.7% |
| Apr 2024 | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| Mar 2024 | 3.3% | 3.4% |
| Feb 2024 | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Jan 2024 | 2.8% | 2.4% |
| Dec 2023 | 2.6% | 2.3% |
| Nov 2023 | 2.6% | 2.0% |
| Oct 2023 | 2.4% | 2.0% |
| Sep 2023 | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| Aug 2023 | 3.5% | 3.3% |
| Jul 2023 | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Jun 2023 | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| May 2023 | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| Apr 2023 | 8.0% | 6.8% |
| Mar 2023 | 9.0% | 7.7% |
| Feb 2023 | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| Jan 2023 | 10.4% | 9.0% |
| Dec 2022 | 10.2% | 8.4% |
| Nov 2022 | 10.6% | 8.8% |
| Oct 2022 | 10.7% | 8.9% |
| Sep 2022 | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Aug 2022 | 9.0% | 7.2% |
| Jul 2022 | 7.9% | 6.4% |
| Jun 2022 | 6.8% | 5.5% |
| May 2022 | 6.3% | 5.1% |
| Apr 2022 | 4.9% | 4.3% |
| Mar 2022 | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| Feb 2022 | 3.2% | 3.1% |
| Jan 2022 | 2.7% | 2.3% |
| Dec 2021 | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Nov 2021 | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Oct 2021 | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| Sep 2021 | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Aug 2021 | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| Jul 2021 | 2.1% | 2.5% |
| Jun 2021 | 2.0% | 2.7% |
| May 2021 | 1.9% | 3.1% |
| Apr 2021 | 2.1% | 2.9% |
| Mar 2021 | 2.7% | 3.4% |
| Feb 2021 | 2.3% | 3.4% |
| Jan 2021 | 2.0% | 3.4% |
| Dec 2020 | 2.5% | 3.9% |
| Nov 2020 | 2.5% | 3.9% |
| Oct 2020 | 3.0% | 4.1% |
| Sep 2020 | 2.7% | 3.7% |
| Aug 2020 | 3.0% | 3.6% |
| Jul 2020 | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Jun 2020 | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| May 2020 | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Apr 2020 | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| Mar 2020 | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2020 | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Jan 2020 | 2.6% | 2.0% |
| Dec 2019 | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Nov 2019 | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| Oct 2019 | 2.0% | 1.8% |
| Sep 2019 | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Aug 2019 | 1.9% | 2.0% |
| Jul 2019 | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| Jun 2019 | 2.2% | 2.9% |
| May 2019 | 2.1% | 2.8% |
| Apr 2019 | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Mar 2019 | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Feb 2019 | 2.1% | 2.8% |
| Jan 2019 | 2.6% | 3.2% |
| Dec 2018 | 2.3% | 2.6% |
| Nov 2018 | 2.7% | 2.7% |
| Oct 2018 | 2.8% | 2.9% |
| Sep 2018 | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Aug 2018 | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Jul 2018 | 3.1% | 3.0% |
Which costs are rising fastest?
Annual % change by spending category, Aug 2026
| Annual change | |
|---|---|
| Insurance & finance | 10.1% |
| Transport | 9.4% |
| Rent, water & power | 6.4% |
| School fees & education | 5.8% |
| Food & soft drinks | 3.6% |
| Phones & internet | 3.3% |
| Furniture & household | 2.7% |
| Eating out & hotels | 2.5% |
| Alcohol & tobacco | 1.7% |
| Health | 1.5% |
| Personal care & other | 1.3% |
| Clothes & shoes | 1.1% |
| Recreation & culture | 0.7% |
What got dearer, what got cheaper
Individual items: August 2026 prices compared with a year earlier.
Biggest price rises
Annual % change, top 10 items
| Annual change | |
|---|---|
| Fresh okra | 61% |
| Diesel | 40% |
| Kerosene/Paraffin | 31% |
| Cassava Flour | 30% |
| Petrol | 29% |
| Dried kapenta (Mukene) | 28% |
| Refuse Collection | 28% |
| Dried Angara | 28% |
| Pineapple | 25% |
| Smoked Nile Perch | 23% |
Biggest price falls
Annual % change, top 10 items
| Annual change | |
|---|---|
| Tobacco Leaves | -24% |
| Sweet Potatoes | -23% |
| Cucumber | -23% |
| Matooke (Cluster) | -20% |
| Ginger Fresh | -18% |
| Other Citrus fruits | -15% |
| Papaya | -14% |
| Sugar | -11% |
| Pens | -9% |
| Oranges | -9% |
Where you live matters
UBOS collects prices in ten towns. Kampala is split by income level because households there buy different things.
Inflation by town
Annual % change, Aug 2026
| Annual change | |
|---|---|
| Kampala High Income | 4.9% |
| Jinja | 4.8% |
| Mbale | 4.4% |
| Kampala Low Income | 4.1% |
| Kampala Middle Income | 4.0% |
| Masaka | 4.0% |
| Arua | 3.4% |
| Fort Portal | 3.2% |
| Gulu | 3.0% |
| Mbarara | 2.9% |
Look up any item
Sugar, matooke, school fees, airtime… pick one of the ~340 items UBOS tracks and compare it with overall inflation.
An item's price vs all prices
Annual % change
- All items
- Pick an item above
| Month | All items |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 4.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 4.0% |
| Jun 2026 | 3.7% |
| May 2026 | 3.2% |
| Apr 2026 | 3.0% |
| Mar 2026 | 2.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 2.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 3.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 3.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 3.1% |
| Oct 2025 | 3.4% |
| Sep 2025 | 4.0% |
| Aug 2025 | 3.8% |
| Jul 2025 | 3.8% |
| Jun 2025 | 3.9% |
| May 2025 | 3.8% |
| Apr 2025 | 3.5% |
| Mar 2025 | 3.4% |
| Feb 2025 | 3.7% |
| Jan 2025 | 3.6% |
| Dec 2024 | 3.3% |
| Nov 2024 | 2.9% |
| Oct 2024 | 2.9% |
| Sep 2024 | 3.0% |
| Aug 2024 | 3.5% |
| Jul 2024 | 4.0% |
| Jun 2024 | 3.9% |
| May 2024 | 3.6% |
| Apr 2024 | 3.2% |
| Mar 2024 | 3.3% |
| Feb 2024 | 3.4% |
| Jan 2024 | 2.8% |
| Dec 2023 | 2.6% |
| Nov 2023 | 2.6% |
| Oct 2023 | 2.4% |
| Sep 2023 | 2.7% |
| Aug 2023 | 3.5% |
| Jul 2023 | 3.9% |
| Jun 2023 | 4.9% |
| May 2023 | 6.2% |
| Apr 2023 | 8.0% |
| Mar 2023 | 9.0% |
| Feb 2023 | 9.2% |
| Jan 2023 | 10.4% |
| Dec 2022 | 10.2% |
| Nov 2022 | 10.6% |
| Oct 2022 | 10.7% |
| Sep 2022 | 10.0% |
| Aug 2022 | 9.0% |
| Jul 2022 | 7.9% |
| Jun 2022 | 6.8% |
| May 2022 | 6.3% |
| Apr 2022 | 4.9% |
| Mar 2022 | 3.8% |
| Feb 2022 | 3.2% |
| Jan 2022 | 2.7% |
| Dec 2021 | 2.9% |
| Nov 2021 | 2.6% |
| Oct 2021 | 1.9% |
| Sep 2021 | 2.2% |
| Aug 2021 | 1.9% |
| Jul 2021 | 2.1% |
| Jun 2021 | 2.0% |
| May 2021 | 1.9% |
| Apr 2021 | 2.1% |
| Mar 2021 | 2.7% |
| Feb 2021 | 2.3% |
| Jan 2021 | 2.0% |
| Dec 2020 | 2.5% |
| Nov 2020 | 2.5% |
| Oct 2020 | 3.0% |
| Sep 2020 | 2.7% |
| Aug 2020 | 3.0% |
| Jul 2020 | 3.2% |
| Jun 2020 | 3.4% |
| May 2020 | 2.7% |
| Apr 2020 | 2.6% |
| Mar 2020 | 2.0% |
| Feb 2020 | 3.0% |
| Jan 2020 | 2.6% |
| Dec 2019 | 2.4% |
| Nov 2019 | 2.0% |
| Oct 2019 | 2.0% |
| Sep 2019 | 1.8% |
| Aug 2019 | 1.9% |
| Jul 2019 | 1.8% |
| Jun 2019 | 2.2% |
| May 2019 | 2.1% |
| Apr 2019 | 2.4% |
| Mar 2019 | 2.6% |
| Feb 2019 | 2.1% |
| Jan 2019 | 2.6% |
| Dec 2018 | 2.3% |
| Nov 2018 | 2.7% |
| Oct 2018 | 2.8% |
| Sep 2018 | 3.2% |
| Aug 2018 | 3.2% |
| Jul 2018 | 3.1% |
What is inflation, in plain words?
Every month UBOS checks the prices of a fixed “basket” of things Ugandan households buy (food, rent, transport, school fees, airtime and more) in ten towns.
Inflation is how much more that same basket costs than it did a year before. At 4.1%, a basket that cost UGX 100,000 last year costs about UGX 104,140 now.
“Core” inflation leaves out food crops and fuel, whose prices jump with harvests and world oil prices, so it shows the steadier trend.
Where this comes from
Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Consumer Price Index (base FY2016/17 = 100). We read UBOS’s Excel tables, check our numbers match UBOS’s published rates, and chart them.
- CPI August 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx
- CPI July 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx
- CPI June 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx
- CPI May 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx
- CPI April 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx
- CPI March 2026 Excel Tablesxlsx