While the rest of the country struggles financially, the Western Cape is bearing the brunt.
According to Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the Western Cape leads the nation with higher-than-average inflation.
The province achieved higher-than-average inflation
The Western Cape’s year-on-year inflation is one percentage point higher than the country’s average.
On 21 October, Stats SA released September’s CPI data, announcing that inflation rose for the second consecutive month to 4.5%, coming in lower than many had predicted.
However, the data revealed that, when analysed per province, the Western Cape had the highest annual increase.
Between September 2025 and September 2026, inflation rose 5.5% in the province.
The monthly increase also exceeded the national average.
Between August of this year and September, inflation in the province increased 0.5%. The national CPI for that period was 0.4%.
The only other province to report higher-than-average inflation was the Eastern Cape.
Inflation in the province reached 4.7%.
What’s Making the Western Cape More Expensive?
Data from Stats SA shows consumers in the Western Cape had very few wins.
Only one food category decreased in the province: fruits and nuts.
They dropped 6.7% between September 2025 and September 2026.
Nationally, at least 3 food categories declined in price.
Overall national CPI data shows food increased 0.7% year-on-year.
In the Western Cape, food increased 3.1%.
This includes a 0.9% increase in cereal products, compared to the nation’s -2.5% decline over the same period.
Nationally, vegetables are up 3.3%, milk and dairy are up 2.1%, and fish and seafood are up 7.7%,
In the Western Cape, vegetables are up 5.9%, milk and dairy are up 4.5%, and, shockingly, fish and seafood are up 9.1%.
Actual rentals for housing are up 5.9%, and health services are up 4.7%.
Fuel is up 29.2%, and passenger transport is up 14.2%.
Nationally, insurance is up 5.5%; in the Western Cape, it’s 6.3%.
It’s also become more expensive to get water and electricity in the province.
The CPI data shows water supply and miscellaneous services are up 10.1% in the province, and electricity is up 6.8%.