September figures put Montenegro’s annual inflation above the European Union. On the harmonised index used to compare countries, prices were 5.5 percent higher than a year earlier, while the EU rate was 3.8 percent. The gap is 1.7 percentage points.
The pace also quickened from August. Montenegro’s rate rose from 4.6 percent to 5.5 percent, and the EU rate rose from 3.2 percent to 3.8 percent.
The strongest pressure at home is on fuel and lubricants for motor vehicles. Those prices were 32.8 percent higher than in September last year, and the category made the largest contribution to annual inflation. On MONSTAT’s domestic consumer-price index, prices rose 5.2 percent over the year and 0.5 percent compared with August.
In the euro area, energy was the main source of pressure. Energy prices were 18.9 percent higher than a year earlier and contributed the most to overall inflation. The euro-area annual rate rose from 3.2 percent in August to 3.8 percent in September.
Eurostat’s September 2026 figures show the highest annual rates in Romania at 6.5 percent, Lithuania at 6.1 percent and Bulgaria at 5.6 percent. Sweden recorded the lowest rate, 1.0 percent. Hungary and Denmark were next, both at 2.1 percent.
Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are members of the European Free Trade Association and are not EU members. For September 2026, Eurostat lists Iceland at 5.4 percent, Norway at 3.4 percent and Switzerland at 1.2 percent, with no figure for Liechtenstein. Eurostat notes that comparability of data for countries outside the EU can vary.