China December 2025 CPI Rises 0.8% Amid Mixed Food and Housing Prices

In December 2025, China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.8% year-on-year, with urban areas up 0.9% and rural areas increasing 0.6%. Food prices climbed 1.1%, while non-food prices grew 0.8%. Consumer goods prices rose 1.0%, and service prices increased 0.6%. On a month-on-month basis, overall consumer prices edged up 0.2%, driven equally by urban and rural areas. Food prices rose 0.3%, non-food prices 0.1%, consumer goods 0.3%, while service prices remained flat. For the full year, China's consumer prices were unchanged from 2024.

Year-on-Year Price Trends for Key Commodities and Services

Food, tobacco, and alcohol prices increased 0.8% in December, contributing roughly 0.24 percentage points to the CPI. Within the food category:

• Fresh vegetable prices soared 18.2%, adding 0.39 percentage points;

• Fresh fruit prices rose 4.4%, contributing 0.09 percentage points;

• Aquatic products increased 1.6%, adding 0.03 percentage points;

• Egg prices dropped 12.7%, reducing the CPI by 0.09 percentage points;

• Livestock meat prices fell 6.1%, lowering the CPI by 0.19 percentage points, with pork down 14.6%, subtracting 0.20 percentage points;

• Grain prices fell 0.3%, reducing the CPI by 0.01 percentage points.

Among the remaining seven major categories, five recorded year-on-year increases while two declined:

• Other goods and services rose 17.4%; household goods and services increased 2.2%; healthcare prices grew 1.8%;

• Clothing and education, culture, and entertainment prices rose 1.7% and 0.9%, respectively;

• Transportation and communication fell 2.6%, while housing decreased 0.2%.

Month-on-Month Price Movements in December

On a month-on-month basis, food, tobacco, and alcohol prices rose 0.2%, contributing 0.05 percentage points to CPI growth. Within food:

• Fresh fruit prices climbed 2.6%, adding 0.05 percentage points;

• Fresh vegetables rose 0.8%, contributing 0.02 percentage points;

• Livestock meat prices declined 0.8%, reducing CPI by 0.02 percentage points, including a 1.7% drop in pork, contributing roughly 0.02 percentage points to the decrease.

Of the other seven major categories, four saw increases, two remained unchanged, and one declined:

• Prices for other goods and services and household goods and services rose 2.8% and 0.4%, respectively;

• Education, culture, and recreation, and healthcare and medical services each increased 0.1%;

• Clothing and transport and communications prices were unchanged;

• Housing prices fell 0.1%.