China vs South Africa: Inflation Comparison
Compare cumulative inflation, annual rates and purchasing power between China and South Africa from 2000 to 2025, based on World Bank CPI data.
Cumulative inflation in China was 42.1% between 2000 and 2025, according to World Bank CPI data (FP.CPI.TOTL).
Over the same period, cumulative inflation in South Africa was 162.9%.
China
CNYSouth Africa
ZARCPI Comparison Chart
Year-by-Year Comparison
| Year | China CPI | China (Change) | South Africa CPI | South Africa (Change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 80.97 | - | 59.99 | - |
| 2001 | 81.55 | +0.7% | 63.41 | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 80.96 | -0.7% | 69.43 | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 81.87 | +1.1% | 73.38 | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 85.00 | +3.8% | 72.87 | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 86.51 | +1.8% | 74.37 | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 87.94 | +1.6% | 76.78 | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 92.17 | +4.8% | 81.53 | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 97.63 | +5.9% | 89.61 | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 96.92 | -0.7% | 96.09 | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 100.00 | +3.2% | 100.00 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 105.55 | +5.6% | 105.00 | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 108.32 | +2.6% | 111.03 | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 111.16 | +2.6% | 117.44 | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 113.29 | +1.9% | 124.65 | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 114.92 | +1.4% | 130.28 | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 117.22 | +2.0% | 138.88 | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 119.09 | +1.6% | 146.08 | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 121.56 | +2.1% | 152.67 | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 125.08 | +2.9% | 158.93 | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 111.50 | -10.9% | 127.50 | -19.8% |
| 2021 | 113.11 | +1.4% | 135.05 | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 115.12 | +1.8% | 145.26 | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 114.78 | -0.3% | 152.81 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 114.89 | +0.1% | 157.21 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 115.03 | +0.1% | 157.68 | +0.3% |
Inflation by Decade: China vs South Africa
| Year | China (Total Inflation) | China (Avg Annual Rate) | South Africa (Total Inflation) | South Africa (Avg Annual Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | - | - | +26.1% | 2.61% |
| 1970s | - | - | +143.0% | 10.37% |
| 1980s | +50.7% | 14.64% | +243.2% | 14.69% |
| 1990s | +99.5% | 7.98% | +123.6% | 9.35% |
| 2000s | +19.7% | 2.02% | +60.2% | 5.37% |
| 2010s | +25.1% | 2.52% | +58.9% | 5.28% |
| 2020s | +3.2% | 0.63% | +23.7% | 4.34% |
The inflation gap between China and South Africa widened to 120.8 percentage points from 2000 to 2025.
¥100 in China in 2000 lost roughly the same relative value as R185.03 in South Africa.
Since 2000, China ranks #2 and South Africa ranks #12 of 17 countries by cumulative inflation.
China's highest annual inflation was 5.9% in 2008; South Africa's was 9.9% in 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which had higher inflation, China or South Africa?
Between 2000 and 2025, South Africa had higher cumulative inflation (162.85%) than China (42.06%), according to World Bank CPI data.
What was cumulative inflation in China from 2000 to 2025?
Prices in China rose 42.06% cumulatively, an average of 1.41% per year.
What was cumulative inflation in South Africa from 2000 to 2025?
Prices in South Africa rose 162.85% cumulatively, an average of 3.94% per year.
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Calculate Individually
Between 2000 and 2025, China had lower cumulative inflation (42.1%) than South Africa (162.9%).