Istanbul, February 1 – The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) announced today the Istanbul Consumer Price Index data for January 2026, revealing a significant increase in retail prices across the city. The monthly inflation rate for January reached 4.56%, while the annual inflation rate climbed to 36.15%.
Inflation Trends in Istanbul
This latest data indicates a notable acceleration in price increases compared to the previous month. In December 2025, the ITO had reported a monthly inflation rate of 1.23% and an annual rate of 37.68%. While the annual rate saw a slight decrease, the monthly surge in January highlights persistent inflationary pressures.
Healthcare and Transportation Lead Price Hikes
A detailed breakdown of the Istanbul Consumer Price Index for January 2026 shows that several categories experienced substantial price increases:
- Healthcare expenditures: +11.94%
- Transportation expenditures: +9.96%
- Miscellaneous Goods and Services: +8.52%
- Restaurants and Hotels: +6.22%
- Household Furnishings: +4.40%
- Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages: +4.27%
- Communication expenditures: +4.26%
- Entertainment and Culture: +3.23%
- Housing expenditures: +2.56%
- Education expenditures: +2.53%
- Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco: +0.21%
Conversely, the only category to see a decrease in prices was Clothing and Footwear expenditures, which fell by 2.32%.
Broader Economic Context
These figures from Istanbul reflect a broader economic landscape marked by inflationary challenges. Other recent economic indicators from Turkey and around the world provide additional context:
- BIST 100 Index: The BIST 100 index started the week with a 1.73% decrease, opening at 13,598 points. The intra-day sale of the BIST 100 index exceeded 2%, triggering the uptick rule for short selling.
- Sectoral Performance: The banking index fell by 2.4%, the industrial index by 2%, the transportation index by 1.4%, and the holding index by 1.2% at the start of the week.
- Manufacturing PMI: The ISO Manufacturing PMI for January declined to 48.1%, down from 48.9% in the previous month, indicating a contraction in the manufacturing sector for the 22nd consecutive month.
- Consumer Confidence: The Bloomberg HT Consumer Tendency Index decreased by 6.31% monthly to 83.45 in January, while the Bloomberg HT Consumer Expectation Index fell by 0.87% monthly to 72.84 in January.
International Economic Developments
Globally, various economic data points have also been released:
- UK Housing Sales: UK housing sales increased by 1% annually in January, exceeding expectations of a 0.7% rise. Monthly, sales rose by 0.3%, meeting expectations.
- German Retail Sales: German retail sales increased by 3.2% annually in December, surpassing the expected 2% rise. Monthly, sales increased by 0.1%, in line with expectations.
The persistent rise in inflation, particularly in essential sectors like healthcare and transportation, will likely continue to impact the purchasing power of Istanbul residents. Analysts will closely monitor upcoming economic data to assess the trajectory of inflation and the effectiveness of any policy responses.
Source: bloomberght.com
