Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) (International Financial) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) (International Financial) was -4.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Inflation, consumer prices in Sri Lanka, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for inflation, consumer prices in Sri Lanka is -4.8%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1,009.5% on the previous year and down 226.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, inflation, consumer prices in Sri Lanka peaked at 49.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, -4.8%, in 2025.
That places Sri Lanka 191st out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) (International Financial) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -1.5% | — |
| 1961 | 1.1% | -173.4% |
| 1962 | 1.5% | +32.5% |
| 1963 | 2.3% | +51.2% |
| 1964 | 3.2% | +40.6% |
| 1965 | 0.2% | -93.0% |
| 1966 | -0.2% | -169.8% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | -1506.9% |
| 1968 | 5.9% | +167.7% |
| 1969 | 7.5% | +27.2% |
| 1970 | 5.9% | -21.3% |
| 1971 | 2.7% | -54.6% |
| 1972 | 6.3% | +138.2% |
| 1973 | 9.6% | +51.6% |
| 1974 | 12.3% | +27.8% |
| 1975 | 6.6% | -46.1% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -79.9% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -7.9% |
| 1978 | 12.1% | +891.2% |
| 1979 | 10.7% | -11.6% |
| 1980 | 26.1% | +143.6% |
| 1981 | 18.0% | -31.3% |
| 1982 | 10.8% | -39.8% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | +29.0% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | +19.1% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -91.1% |
| 1986 | 8.0% | +438.5% |
| 1987 | 7.7% | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | +81.3% |
| 1989 | 11.6% | -17.3% |
| 1990 | 21.5% | +85.8% |
| 1991 | 12.2% | -43.3% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | -6.6% |
| 1993 | 11.7% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | -28.1% |
| 1995 | 7.7% | -9.2% |
| 1996 | 15.9% | +107.6% |
| 1997 | 9.6% | -39.9% |
| 1998 | 9.4% | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 4.7% | -49.9% |
| 2000 | 6.2% | +31.6% |
| 2001 | 14.2% | +129.2% |
| 2002 | 9.6% | -32.5% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | -33.9% |
| 2004 | 7.6% | +20.0% |
| 2005 | 11.6% | +53.6% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 15.8% | +58.1% |
| 2008 | 22.6% | +42.4% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -84.6% |
| 2010 | 6.2% | +79.4% |
| 2011 | 6.7% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 7.5% | +12.3% |
| 2013 | 6.9% | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 3.2% | -54.0% |
| 2015 | 3.8% | +18.5% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | +94.6% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -72.3% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +65.3% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | +74.4% |
| 2021 | 7.0% | +14.0% |
| 2022 | 49.7% | +608.8% |
| 2023 | 16.5% | -66.7% |
| 2024 | -0.4% | -102.6% |
| 2025 | -4.8% | +1009.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's -4.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.3%. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's -4.8% is below the median for South Asia, which is 3.1%. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) (International Financial) in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +1506.9% | -0.2% | 2.2% |
| 2025 | -1009.5% | -0.4% | -4.8% |
| 1978 | +891.2% | 1.2% | 12.1% |
| 2022 | +608.8% | 7.0% | 49.7% |
| 1986 | +438.5% | 1.5% | 8.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | -1.5% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.9% | 1.2% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.8% | 1.5% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.3% | 4.7% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.7% | 3.5% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 2.1% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.4% | -4.8% | 49.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More economy & growth data for Sri Lanka
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP -8.07 Percent per annum (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP -7.82 Percent per annum (2022)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -66.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 0.0483 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -68.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 0.0353 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 33.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0295 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is inflation, consumer prices in Sri Lanka?
- Inflation, consumer prices in Sri Lanka was -4.8% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest inflation, consumer prices recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest inflation, consumer prices recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.8% in 2025.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for inflation, consumer prices?
- Sri Lanka ranks 191st out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is inflation, consumer prices rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 226.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Inflation, consumer prices (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Inflation as measured by the consumer price index reflects the annual percentage change in the cost to the average consumer of acquiring a basket of goods and services that may be fixed or changed at specified intervals, such as yearly.