Greek inflation rose to 5.0% in September 2026 from 3.8% in August, with fuel and household energy adding about three of the five points

Prices in Greece rose faster in September 2026.¹ The national consumer price index was 5.0% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025, against 3.8% in August 2026, according to ΕΛΣΤΑΤ (Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή, Elliniki Statistiki Archi; ELSTAT), the Hellenic Statistical Authority, which published the figures on 9 October 2026.¹ Energy did most of the work: natural gas cost 55.2% more than a year earlier, heating oil 53.2%, diesel 38.8%, petrol 22.5% and electricity 15.0%.¹ Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose 0.6% over the same year.¹

How big was the September jump?

Greek consumer prices rose 2.1% between August and September 2026, against 0.8% between August and September 2025.¹ In our reading, the annual rate climbs when a month's increase is larger than the same month's increase a year earlier, as it was in September 2026 (2.1% against 0.8%).¹

ELSTAT's housing and transport groups moved in opposite directions in the two years.¹ Housing rose 2.0% from August to September 2026 but fell 2.5% a year earlier; transport rose 2.0% but fell 1.4% a year earlier.¹ ELSTAT attributes the September 2026 rises mainly to electricity, natural gas and solid fuels in housing, and to diesel and petrol in transport; the release gives no reasons for the 2025 falls.¹

September 2026 is not the year's peak.¹ Greek annual inflation was 5.4% in April 2026 and 5.2% in May 2026, then eased to 3.4% in July 2026 before rising again.¹ Over the twelve months to September 2026, prices averaged 3.6% more than in the previous twelve months.¹

Which prices drove Greek inflation to 5.0%?

ELSTAT publishes how many percentage points each group and the main items add to the total.¹ Housing added 2.13 points and transport 1.63 points of the 5.0% annual rate in September 2026: about three-quarters of the total, by our calculation.¹ Hotels, cafés and restaurants added a further 0.84 points.¹

At item level, petrol added 1.07 points, heating oil 0.81, electricity 0.57, natural gas 0.28, diesel 0.22 and solid fuels 0.03.¹ By our calculation, those six fuel and energy items added about 3.0 of the 5.0 points.¹

Item	Change, Sept 2025 to Sept 2026	Points added to the 5.0%
Natural gas	+55.2%	0.28
Heating oil	+53.2%	0.81
Diesel (motor fuel)	+38.8%	0.22
Hotels, motels, inns	+29.8%	0.18
Petrol	+22.5%	1.07
Air tickets	+22.0%	0.29
Electricity	+15.0%	0.57
Residential rents	+5.9%	0.26
Restaurants, patisseries, fast food, canteens	+5.7%	0.66
Food and non-alcoholic drinks (group)	+0.6%	0.13
Fruit	−8.0%	−0.13
Olive oil	−11.9%	−0.07
All items	+5.0%

The table uses ELSTAT's figures as published.¹ The release names the prices that drove each group, but mostly does not say why they moved.¹

Did rents rise 14.7%?

No. A headline in Πρώτο Θέμα (Proto Thema) on 9 October 2026 reported a 14.7% rise in rents, in our translation.⁵ The 14.7% is ELSTAT's figure for the whole housing group, whose rise ELSTAT attributes mainly to rents, repairs and home services, and to electricity, natural gas, heating oil and solid fuels.¹ Residential rents in Greece rose 5.9% in the year to September 2026.¹

Within the housing group, energy outweighed rent.¹ Rents added 0.26 points to the 5.0% rate, while electricity, natural gas, heating oil and solid fuels together added 1.69 points, by our calculation.¹

Greek residential rents rose 5.9% in the year to September 2026; the 14.7% figure is the whole housing group, energy included.¹

Is food driving Greek inflation?

Not in September 2026.¹ Powergame's headline spoke of a «κούρσα ακρίβειας σε ενέργεια και τρόφιμα», a price race in energy and food, in our translation, although its own article gives the food rise as 0.6%.⁶ ELSTAT's food and non-alcoholic drinks group rose 0.6% on the year and fell 0.4% from August to September 2026.¹ In September 2025, the same group's annual rise was 1.4%.¹

Food is the largest group in the Greek basket, at 209.41 parts per thousand of household spending, yet it added only 0.13 points to the 5.0% rate.¹ Some foods did rise sharply: beef by 12.3%, lamb and goat by 9.7% and eggs by 6.6% on the year.¹ Others fell: olive oil by 11.9%, rice by 8.2% and fruit by 8.0%.¹

Why do some reports say 5.1%?

Because there are two indices.¹² ELSTAT's national index is the ΔΤΚ (Δείκτης Τιμών Καταναλωτή, Deiktis Timon Katanaloti), the consumer price index or CPI, which rose 5.0%.¹ The EU's harmonised index of consumer prices, or HICP (ΕνΔΤΚ, Εναρμονισμένος Δείκτης Τιμών Καταναλωτή, Enarmonismenos Deiktis Timon Katanaloti), is the measure Eurostat, the EU statistical office, uses to compare countries.² Greece's HICP rose 5.1% in the year to September 2026, according to reports of ELSTAT's figure on 9 October 2026.³⁴

Eurostat's flash estimate of 2 October 2026 had already put Greek HICP inflation at 5.1% for September 2026, against 3.7% in August 2026 and 1.8% in September 2025.² In our reading, a report that gives 5.1% is quoting the harmonised index, either Eurostat's flash or ELSTAT's own HICP figure, and one that gives 5.0% is quoting the national CPI.¹²³⁴

How does Greece compare with the euro area?

Greek inflation is higher.²³ Eurostat's flash estimate put euro-area inflation at 3.8% in September 2026, up from 3.2% in August 2026.² Greece's 5.1% HICP rate is 1.3 points above that, by our calculation.²³ Euro-area energy prices rose 18.8% in September 2026, and core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, was an estimated 2.5%.²

What does September's 5.0% mean for households?

ELSTAT's index measures the prices paid by the average Greek household.¹ In our reading, a household that heats with oil or gas, drives often or rents will have seen its costs rise faster than 5.0%, while one whose spending leans towards food will have seen them rise more slowly.¹ Heating oil in Greece cost 53.2% more in September 2026 than in September 2025.¹ For help with heating costs this winter, see our guide to the heating-oil subsidy.

One monthly figure looks alarming but is seasonal.¹ Clothing and footwear prices rose 28.5% from August to September 2026, which ELSTAT attributes to prices returning to their levels before the summer sales; a year earlier, the same monthly rise was 35.0%.¹ Over the year to September 2026, clothing and footwear rose 0.3%.¹