Fiji’s headline inflation remained in negative territory in April, but the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures point to a sharp month‑on‑month acceleration that is putting renewed pressure on household budgets, the Fiji Bureau of Statistics said on Friday. The Bureau reported the average annual inflation rate for the 12 months to April 2026 at -1.5 percent, while the CPI for April rose 2.1 percent from March to reach an index level of 114.5.
The strongest upward pressure came from transport, which recorded the largest rise among spending categories at 10.1 percent. The Bureau attributed that surge to higher fuel prices as well as increased airfares and boat transport costs – a trend that directly affects commuting costs and inter‑island travel for many families and businesses. Housing, water, electricity and fuels also climbed 2.2 percent in April, with the Bureau specifically flagging higher liquid fuel prices as a driver.
Food and non‑alcoholic beverages edged up 0.9 percent for the month, with the Bureau listing higher prices for staples including bread and cereals, meat, fish and seafood, milk, cheese and eggs, oils and fats, vegetables and non‑alcoholic beverages such as coffee, tea and cocoa. Smaller increases were recorded in alcoholic beverages, tobacco and yaqona (0.5 percent), miscellaneous goods and services (0.2 percent) and household goods and maintenance (0.1 percent). Clothing, health and education showed no overall change in April.
Some sectors bucked the monthly trend and saw price declines: restaurants and hotels slipped 0.1 percent, communication fell 0.2 percent and recreation and culture decreased 0.3 percent. The Bureau reiterated that its CPI reflects average changes in prices of goods and services purchased by households and is compiled from monthly data collected in urban centres — Suva, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba and Labasa — which are used as a proxy for national movements.
The April figures mark a notable development after a period of weak or negative inflation, highlighting a switch to rising prices in key household cost categories. The jump in transport and fuel costs follows patterns seen across 2025 when retail sales were buoyed by stronger demand for fuels and motor vehicles, and it underlines how energy prices remain a pivotal factor affecting broader price dynamics in Fiji.
Economists and policymakers will be watching whether the April uptick presages a sustained return to positive annual inflation or a short‑lived spike tied to volatile fuel and transport prices. For households, the immediate impact is visible at the pump and in travel costs, and the Bureau’s data underscores growing pressure on everyday living expenses even as the 12‑month average remains negative.