India vs China: Inflation Comparison
Compare cumulative inflation, annual rates and purchasing power between India and China from 2000 to 2026, based on World Bank CPI data.
Cumulative inflation in India was 190.0% between 2000 and 2026, according to World Bank CPI data (FP.CPI.TOTL).
Over the same period, cumulative inflation in China was 42.1%.
India
INRChina
CNYCPI Comparison Chart
Year-by-Year Comparison
| Year | India CPI | India (Change) | China CPI | China (Change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54.34 | - | 80.97 | - |
| 2001 | 56.39 | +3.8% | 81.55 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 58.82 | +4.3% | 80.96 | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 61.05 | +3.8% | 81.87 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 63.35 | +3.8% | 85.00 | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 66.04 | +4.2% | 86.51 | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 69.87 | +5.8% | 87.94 | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 74.32 | +6.4% | 92.17 | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 80.53 | +8.3% | 97.63 | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 89.29 | +10.9% | 96.92 | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 100.00 | +12.0% | 100.00 | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 108.91 | +8.9% | 105.55 | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 119.24 | +9.5% | 108.32 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 131.18 | +10.0% | 111.16 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 139.92 | +6.7% | 113.29 | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 146.79 | +4.9% | 114.92 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 154.05 | +4.9% | 117.22 | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 159.18 | +3.3% | 119.09 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 165.45 | +3.9% | 121.56 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 171.62 | +3.7% | 125.08 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 130.89 | -23.7% | 111.50 | -10.9% |
| 2021 | 138.16 | +5.6% | 113.11 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 145.76 | +5.5% | 115.12 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 152.92 | +4.9% | 114.78 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 158.32 | +3.5% | 114.89 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 157.55 | -0.5% | 115.03 | +0.1% |
Inflation by Decade: India vs China
| Year | India (Total Inflation) | India (Avg Annual Rate) | China (Total Inflation) | China (Avg Annual Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | +73.1% | 6.29% | - | - |
| 1970s | +90.2% | 7.40% | - | - |
| 1980s | +116.3% | 8.95% | +50.7% | 14.64% |
| 1990s | +127.7% | 9.57% | +99.5% | 7.98% |
| 2000s | +64.3% | 5.67% | +19.7% | 2.02% |
| 2010s | +71.6% | 6.19% | +25.1% | 2.52% |
| 2020s | +20.4% | 3.78% | +3.2% | 0.63% |
The inflation gap between India and China widened to 147.9 percentage points from 2000 to 2026.
₹100 in India in 2000 lost roughly the same relative value as ¥48.99 in China.
India's highest annual inflation was 12.0% in 2010; China's was 5.9% in 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which had higher inflation, India or China?
Between 2000 and 2026, India had higher cumulative inflation (189.95%) than China (42.06%), according to World Bank CPI data.
What was cumulative inflation in India from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in India rose 189.95% cumulatively, an average of 4.35% per year.
What was cumulative inflation in China from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in China rose 42.06% cumulatively, an average of 1.41% per year.
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Calculate Individually
Between 2000 and 2026, China had lower cumulative inflation (42.1%) than India (190.0%).