In March 2026, Ukraine saw a notable increase in inflation, with consumer prices rising by 1.7% compared to February 2026 and by 7.9% year-on-year from March 2025.
Core inflation for March 2026 was recorded at 1.5% compared to the previous month, and 7.1% relative to March 2025.
The most pronounced price increases were observed in fuel, clothing, and railway transport. The following categories experienced the highest price hikes:
- Fuel and lubricants rose by 13.2%, a significant increase likely to affect the prices of nearly all goods and services.
- Overall transport costs increased by 6.4%, with road transport fares rising by 6% and railway transport by 8.2%.
- Clothing and footwear saw a price increase of 12.0%, driven by seasonal collection updates.
- Food prices also rose, particularly eggs, which increased by 7.7%, and sunflower oil, which went up by 3.3%.
- Telecommunications costs increased by 2.5%, attributed to higher mobile service tariffs.
According to the State Statistics Service, prices for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products rose by 1.1%, largely due to a 1.3% increase in tobacco product prices.
Conversely, prices for sugar decreased by 1%, while pasta and butter experienced slight declines, attributed to seasonal factors.
Ukraine's inflation accelerated significantly in March 2026, driven by rising costs in fuel, transport, and clothing. While some food items saw price increases, others like sugar experienced slight declines, reflecting seasonal trends.