KOSIS · Consumer Price Survey
Consumer Prices
Compare headline CPI, living necessities, fresh food, food-and-energy-excluded CPI, and agriculture-and-petroleum-excluded CPI in one view.
As of 2026.08 · YoY +3.1% · since 2020 +20.1%
Overview
Price level and inflation speed
The 2020=100 index level and YoY growth separate long-term price increases from the current inflation pace.
Index levels
YoY inflation
Gap versus headline
Signals
Living costs versus core inflation
Differences between index levels in the same month compare cumulative changes since the base year. They do not identify recent causes or item contributions.
Source: KOSIS · Ministry of Data and Statistics Consumer Price Survey · National monthly indexes · Base: 2020=100
Reading the numbers behind consumer prices
Separate cumulative price changes, changes over the past year and differences between baskets to understand price pressures.
In 2026.08, headline CPI was 120.1 (2020=100), a change of +20.1% from the base-year average. The change from the same month a year earlier was +3.1%. Among comparable indexes, Food and energy excluded had the highest year-on-year change (+3.4%).
Slower inflation does not mean lower prices
If an index moves from 100 to 110 and then 112, its growth slows while its level keeps rising. To determine whether prices fell, compare the same index with its level in the reference period.
Index levels on this page use the 2020 annual average as 100. An index of 120 means a level 20% above that average, not a product price of 120 won.
Different baskets answer different questions
The living-needs index emphasizes frequently purchased or price-sensitive items. The fresh-food index covers fresh fish, vegetables and fruit, whose prices can vary with weather and supply. Household spending patterns differ, so these indexes are not a measure of each person’s experience.
The food-and-energy-excluded index and the agricultural-products-and-petroleum-excluded index remove different items. Both help examine underlying trends, but their readings need not match.
Index gaps are not contributions to inflation
The gap from headline CPI subtracts two index levels in the same month, in index points. It describes how differently the baskets have changed since the base year, not the gap in this month’s inflation rates or a component’s contribution.
A core index below headline CPI does not establish that a recent increase was temporary. Compare year-on-year rates for recent movements; identifying causes requires additional evidence such as item weights and contributions.
Calculations and scope
Year-on-year change is (current index ÷ index in the same month a year earlier − 1) × 100. ChartKo uses source index levels and calculates changes and gaps, displaying one decimal place. Missing comparisons are not replaced with zero.
These are national monthly indexes, not individual or regional shopping costs or asset prices. The highest change is the maximum among the five comparable indexes for the same month. Reference months differ from today, and revisions can change past values.
Original data and corrections
- KOSIS · Headline CPI
- KOSIS · Living needs
- KOSIS · Fresh food
- KOSIS · Food and energy excluded
- KOSIS · Agricultural products and petroleum excluded
- Official guide · Index classifications (Korean)
If a value or explanation looks wrong, send us the page URL and reference period. [email protected]
Recent index observations and changes
The latest 24 observed months, with 2020=100. A dash indicates a missing comparison.
Expand monthly data table
| Month | Headline CPI | Living necessities index | Fresh food index | Food and energy excluded | Agriculture and petroleum excluded | Headline year-on-year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026.08 | 120.1 | 122.5 | 125.1 | 116.6 | 118.4 | +3.1% |
| 2026.07 | 119.8 | 122.3 | 121.5 | 116.4 | 118.2 | +2.8% |
| 2026.06 | 120.0 | 123.3 | 122.4 | 116.0 | 118.1 | +3.2% |
| 2026.05 | 119.9 | 123.2 | 122.7 | 116.0 | 118.0 | +3.1% |
| 2026.04 | 119.4 | 122.8 | 124.5 | 115.4 | 117.4 | +2.6% |
| 2026.03 | 118.8 | 122.2 | 129.4 | 115.0 | 117.0 | +2.2% |
| 2026.02 | 118.4 | 121.5 | 133.0 | 114.9 | 116.9 | +2.0% |
| 2026.01 | 118.0 | 121.1 | 131.3 | 114.4 | 116.6 | +2.0% |
| 2025.12 | 117.6 | 120.6 | 129.4 | 113.8 | 116.0 | +2.3% |
| 2025.11 | 117.2 | 120.4 | 126.5 | 113.6 | 115.8 | +2.4% |
| 2025.10 | 117.4 | 120.5 | 131.7 | 113.8 | 116.0 | +2.4% |
| 2025.09 | 117.1 | 120.4 | 132.9 | 113.4 | 115.6 | +2.1% |
| 2025.08 | 116.5 | 118.7 | 134.0 | 112.8 | 114.8 | +1.7% |
| 2025.07 | 116.5 | 119.2 | 124.4 | 113.5 | 115.3 | +2.1% |
| 2025.06 | 116.3 | 119.2 | 121.9 | 113.2 | 115.3 | +2.2% |
| 2025.05 | 116.3 | 119.2 | 124.5 | 113.1 | 115.1 | +1.9% |
| 2025.04 | 116.4 | 119.4 | 132.6 | 112.9 | 114.9 | +2.1% |
| 2025.03 | 116.3 | 119.5 | 138.6 | 112.5 | 114.4 | +2.1% |
| 2025.02 | 116.1 | 119.3 | 136.7 | 112.3 | 114.1 | +2.0% |
| 2025.01 | 115.7 | 118.5 | 131.6 | 112.1 | 114.0 | +2.2% |
| 2024.12 | 114.9 | 117.3 | 127.2 | 111.6 | 113.5 | +1.9% |
| 2024.11 | 114.4 | 117.1 | 121.6 | 111.4 | 113.2 | +1.5% |
| 2024.10 | 114.7 | 117.5 | 132.8 | 111.4 | 113.2 | +1.3% |
| 2024.09 | 114.7 | 117.5 | 136.3 | 111.2 | 112.9 | +1.6% |