KUALA LUMPUR, 21 November 2025 — Malaysia’s headline inflation eased to 1.3% in October 2025, declining from the previous month as softer price increases in food and housing helped balance pressures in other consumer segments, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 135.1 points in October, up from 133.4 a year earlier. DOSM noted that the moderation was mainly driven by slower increases in the Food & Beverages group (+1.5%) and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (+1.1%).
Price Declines in Communications, Clothing and Transport
Several CPI groups recorded outright price drops in October:
- Information & Communication: -2.4%
- Clothing & Footwear: -0.3%
- Transport: -0.2%
Meanwhile, inflation strengthened in other categories, particularly:
- Personal Care, Social Protection & Miscellaneous Goods & Services: +6.0%
- Restaurant & Accommodation Services: +3.4%
- Health: +1.5%
- Furnishings & Household Equipment: +0.3%
- Recreation, Sport & Culture: +1.2%
Inflation rates for Insurance & Financial Services (+5.6%), Education (+2.4%) and Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+0.3%) remained unchanged from September.
State-Level Inflation: Johor Leads, Kelantan Slowest
Six states registered inflation higher than the national rate:
- Johor: 1.9%
- Negeri Sembilan: 1.7%
- Selangor: 1.6%
- Kuala Lumpur: 1.6%
- Melaka: 1.4%
- Terengganu: 1.4%
Kelantan recorded the lowest inflation in the country at 0.1%.
Month-on-Month: Headline Inflation Falls 0.1%
On a month-on-month basis, headline inflation fell 0.1%, largely due to declines in:
- Transport: -0.9%
- Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels: -0.5%
- Clothing & Footwear: -0.1%
This offset increases seen in other categories, including Personal Care, which rose 1.4%.
Regional Comparison: Malaysia Remains Subdued
Malaysia’s 1.3% inflation print remained moderate relative to regional peers:
- Vietnam: 3.3%
- Indonesia: 2.9%
- South Korea: 2.4%
- China: 0.2%
- Thailand: -0.8%
The country continues to sit among Asia’s more stable inflation environments as domestic price pressures remain contained.
