South Africa vs Sweden: Inflation
Inflation in 2025: 3.2% a year in South Africa and 2.6% a year in Sweden, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.6 percentage points, or 1.23 times that in Sweden.
South AfricaSweden
Watch it change on the mapChange since 1980, percentage points · IMF
Latest figures
% a year · IMF
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 3.2 2025 | 4.6 | 79 of 179 | 3 2031 |
| Sweden | 2.6 2025 | 0.7 | 98 of 179 | 2 2031 |
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 2024, when it overtook Sweden.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 79 and Sweden ranked 98 of 179 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts South Africa at 3% a year and Sweden at 2% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | South Africa | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| 2024 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2023 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| 2022 | 6.9 | 8.1 |
| 2021 | 4.6 | 2.7 |
| 2020 | 3.3 | 0.7 |
| 2019 | 4.1 | 1.7 |
| 2018 | 4.6 | 2 |
| 2017 | 5.3 | 1.9 |
| 2016 | 6.3 | 1.1 |
| 2015 | 4.6 | 0.7 |
| 2014 | 6.1 | 0.2 |
| 2013 | 5.7 | 0.4 |
| 2012 | 5.7 | 0.9 |
| 2011 | 5 | 1.4 |
| 2010 | 4.2 | 1.9 |
| 2009 | 7.2 | 1.9 |
| 2008 | 10.9 | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 7.1 | 1.7 |
| 2006 | 4.7 | 1.5 |
| 2005 | 3.4 | 0.8 |
| 2004 | 1.4 | 1 |
| 2003 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| 2002 | 9.1 | 1.9 |
| 2001 | 5.7 | 2.7 |
| 2000 | 5.3 | 1.3 |
| 1999 | 5.1 | 0.6 |
| 1998 | 7 | 1 |
| 1997 | 8.6 | 1.8 |
| 1996 | 7.4 | 1 |
| 1995 | 8.8 | 2.5 |
| 1994 | 8.9 | 2.9 |
| 1993 | 9.6 | 4.7 |
| 1992 | 14 | 1.4 |
| 1991 | 15.1 | 8.8 |
| 1990 | 14.4 | 10.5 |
| 1989 | 14.8 | 6.4 |
| 1988 | 12.6 | 5.8 |
| 1987 | 16.4 | 4.2 |
| 1986 | 18.2 | 4.2 |
| 1985 | 16.5 | 7.4 |
| 1984 | 11.3 | 8 |
| 1983 | 12.7 | 8.9 |
| 1982 | 14 | 8.6 |
| 1981 | 15.9 | 12.1 |
| 1980 | 14.2 | 17.5 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | South Africa | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.4 | 1.1 |
| 2027 | 3.9 | 1.9 |
| 2028 | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| 2029 | 3 | 2 |
| 2030 | 3 | 2 |
| 2031 | 3 | 2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much consumer prices rose in a year, on average.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 179 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time