Poland’s annual inflation rate fell to 3.5% in October 2026, down from 4.1% in September, according to RMF24, citing a flash estimate from Statistics Poland (GUS). Consumer prices fell by 0.4% compared with the previous month. Both figures were below analysts’ expectations.
The annual rate of price growth eased by 0.6 percentage points. RMF24 reports that economists surveyed by PAP Biznes had forecast annual inflation of 3.7% and a monthly price fall of 0.2%. In September, prices had risen by 0.7% month on month.
Motor fuels cheaper than in September, but energy costs rise
Among the figures reported by RMF24, prices for fuels and lubricants for personal transport showed a particularly sharp monthly decline, falling by 9.7% compared with September. Despite that drop, they remained 21.7% higher than a year earlier.
Food and non-alcoholic drinks followed a different pattern. Prices rose by 0.3% compared with the previous month but were 0.1% lower than in October 2025. Meanwhile, electricity, gas and other fuels became 1.6% more expensive month on month and 6% more expensive year on year.
Lower inflation does not mean a return to earlier prices
The October figure primarily means that the overall level of prices was rising more slowly than in September when measured against the same month a year earlier. Inflation of 3.5% still means that the average basket of goods and services cost more than it did a year ago. The 0.4% price fall refers only to the comparison with September, not with October last year.
Differences between spending categories also matter for household budgets. A monthly fall in the overall index does not mean that every purchase or bill became cheaper: food and energy prices rose over the same period. The figures are a flash estimate from GUS, rather than a final reading.
