Inflation rates by country and year

-4.8%8.9%22.5%36.1%49.7%
-4.8%8.9%22.5%36.1%49.7%
1960-1.5%
199211.4%
2025-4.8%
Source: World Bank

Data: World Bank, annual %. For information only — not financial advice.

Year2025Inflation Rate-4.8%

Behind the curve

Turning points in Sri Lanka

  1. 1973↑ Upward pressure

    The first oil shock — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Sri Lanka's reliance on imported oil and food made it vulnerable to the 1973 shock, which raised costs and inflation through the mid-1970s.

    Central Bank of Sri Lanka
  2. 1979↑ Upward pressure

    The second oil shock — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The 1979–80 oil-price surge lifted import costs again, and Sri Lanka's openness to trade kept inflation elevated into the early 1980s.

    Central Bank of Sri Lanka
  3. 2008↑ Upward pressure

    The world food price crisis — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The 2007–08 global food and fuel price surge raised import costs sharply, pushing Sri Lankan inflation to a peak in 2008.

    Central Bank of Sri Lanka
  4. 2022↑ Upward pressure

    The 2022 economic crisis — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    A balance-of-payments crisis, the rupee's collapse and shortages of fuel and food drove inflation to its highest level in decades in 2022.

    Central Bank of Sri Lanka

These are selected historical influences, not a complete account of inflation. An upward-pressure event can coincide with a peak when its inflationary effect has already occurred or when other forces begin pushing inflation lower. The markers show the years in which events occurred, although their effects may extend into later years.

What is the inflation in Sri Lanka?

The annual inflation rate in Sri Lanka was -4.8% in 2025, the most recent year in the World Bank dataset. That means prices fell 4.8% on average compared with the year before. Use the chart above to explore Sri Lanka's full inflation history from 1960 to 2025, and to compare it with any other country.

How inflation in Sri Lanka has changed

Inflation in Sri Lanka peaked at 49.7% in 2022 and reached its lowest point at -4.8% in 2025. Averaged across the 66 years of available data (1960–2025), the rate has been 8.6% per year.

Frequently asked questions about inflation in Sri Lanka

What is the current inflation rate in Sri Lanka?

The latest available annual figure is -4.8% in 2025, from the World Bank. Because the figures are reported annually, they may not reflect the most recent monthly reading published by Sri Lanka's statistical office.

What was the highest inflation rate in Sri Lanka?

The highest annual inflation rate on record is 49.7%, reached in 2022.

What was the lowest inflation rate in Sri Lanka?

The lowest annual inflation rate on record is -4.8%, recorded in 2025.

Where does the inflation data for Sri Lanka come from?

All figures come from the World Bank's World Development Indicators (indicator FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG), which report annual consumer price inflation for more than 200 countries and territories from 1960 onward.