Statistics show that the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Maldives declined last month, driven by decreases in electricity and air travel prices.

According to data published by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS), the main reason for the 1.15 percent decrease in the Maldivian CPI in August compared to July was the lowering of electricity and air travel costs.

In August, electricity prices decreased by 3.21 percent, while air travel prices became 2.80 percent cheaper. Additionally, the prices of tobacco products dropped by 25.45 percent.

The statistics indicate that even though the prices of certain foods and services increased, the overall price index in the Maldives fell by 1.15 percent in August compared to July.

Although prices dropped compared to July of this year, when looking at August 2025, prices in August of this year stood 0.76 percent higher. The report noted that while prices declined on a month-to-month basis, a slight increase was recorded when comparing year-on-year.

This month-to-month change represents the average shift in prices for goods typically purchased by households. The prices of certain items did rise in August. Specifically, the prices of milk, dairy products, and eggs increased by 1.99 percent, while fruit and vegetable prices grew by 1.19 percent, and fish product prices went up by 0.83 percent.

Regarding service prices, telecommunication services increased by 2.23 percent, guesthouse prices by 2.72 percent, dining and hotel services by 0.68 percent, and healthcare prices by 0.99 percent.

While the overall CPI of the Maldives decreased, the CPI index for Malé dropped by 1.57 percent compared to July, and the figure for the atolls decreased by 0.54 percent.

The Consumer Price Index is a benchmark used to gauge changes in the prices of goods and services utilized by households.

To measure inflation or the rate of price increases, the MBS collects prices for over 9,500 goods and services each month across both Malé and the atolls.