South Africa vs United Arab Emirates

South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: Inflation

Inflation in 2025: 3.2% a year in South Africa and 1.3% a year in United Arab Emirates, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 2 percentage points, or 2.57 times that in United Arab Emirates.

Watch it change on the map

% a year · IMF

South Africa vs United Arab Emirates: InflationInflation in 2025: 3.2% a year in South Africa and 1.3% a year in United Arab Emirates, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 2 percentage points, or 2.57 times that in United Arab Emirates.
South AfricaUnited Arab EmiratesIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • South Africa has been higher since 2009, when it overtook United Arab Emirates.
  • In 2025, South Africa ranked 79 and United Arab Emirates ranked 138 of 179 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts South Africa at 3% a year and United Arab Emirates at 2% a year in 2031.

Every year

% a year · IMF

YearSouth AfricaUnited Arab Emirates
20253.21.3
20244.41.7
20235.91.6
20226.94.8
20214.6-0.1
20203.3-2.1
20194.1-1.9
20184.63.1
20175.32
20166.31.6
20154.64.1
20146.12.3
20135.71.1
20125.70.7
201150.9
20104.20.9
20097.2-4.7
200810.912.3
20077.111.1
20064.79.3
20053.46.2
20041.45
20035.93.1
20029.12.9
20015.72.8
20005.31.3
19995.12.1
199872
19978.63
19967.43
19958.84.3
19948.95.7
19939.65.3
1992146.4
199115.13.4
199014.40.6
198914.82.8
198812.65
198716.45.5
198618.25.4
198516.53.5
198411.32.4
198312.71.3
1982147.1
198115.97.9
198014.210.1
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearSouth AfricaUnited Arab Emirates
20264.44.5
20273.92.5
20283.32
202932
203032
203132

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

South Africa vs United Arab Emirates

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Military

Climate

Technology and environment