South Africa vs Japan: Inflation Comparison
Compare cumulative inflation, annual rates and purchasing power between South Africa and Japan from 2000 to 2026, based on World Bank CPI data.
Cumulative inflation in South Africa was 162.9% between 2000 and 2026, according to World Bank CPI data (FP.CPI.TOTL).
Over the same period, cumulative inflation in Japan was 11.4%.
South Africa
ZARJapan
JPYCPI Comparison Chart
Year-by-Year Comparison
| Year | South Africa CPI | South Africa (Change) | Japan CPI | Japan (Change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 59.99 | - | 102.67 | - |
| 2001 | 63.41 | +5.7% | 101.91 | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 69.43 | +9.5% | 100.97 | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 73.38 | +5.7% | 100.71 | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 72.87 | -0.7% | 100.70 | 0.0% |
| 2005 | 74.37 | +2.1% | 100.41 | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 76.78 | +3.2% | 100.66 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 81.53 | +6.2% | 100.72 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 89.61 | +9.9% | 102.12 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 96.09 | +7.2% | 100.73 | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 100.00 | +4.1% | 100.00 | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 105.00 | +5.0% | 99.73 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 111.03 | +5.7% | 99.68 | 0.0% |
| 2013 | 117.44 | +5.8% | 100.02 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 124.65 | +6.1% | 102.78 | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 130.28 | +4.5% | 103.59 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 138.88 | +6.6% | 103.46 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 146.08 | +5.2% | 103.96 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 152.67 | +4.5% | 104.99 | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 158.93 | +4.1% | 105.48 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 127.50 | -19.8% | 101.09 | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 135.05 | +5.9% | 101.30 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 145.26 | +7.6% | 107.84 | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 152.81 | +5.2% | 111.36 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 157.21 | +2.9% | 114.41 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 157.68 | +0.3% | - | - |
Inflation by Decade: South Africa vs Japan
| Year | South Africa (Total Inflation) | South Africa (Avg Annual Rate) | Japan (Total Inflation) | Japan (Avg Annual Rate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | +26.1% | 2.61% | +61.1% | 5.44% |
| 1970s | +143.0% | 10.37% | +119.1% | 9.11% |
| 1980s | +243.2% | 14.69% | +18.9% | 1.94% |
| 1990s | +123.6% | 9.35% | +9.3% | 1.00% |
| 2000s | +60.2% | 5.37% | -1.9% | -0.21% |
| 2010s | +58.9% | 5.28% | +5.5% | 0.60% |
| 2020s | +23.7% | 4.34% | +13.2% | 3.14% |
The inflation gap between South Africa and Japan widened to 151.4 percentage points from 2000 to 2026.
R100 in South Africa in 2000 lost roughly the same relative value as ¥42.40 in Japan.
South Africa's highest annual inflation was 9.9% in 2008; Japan's was 6.5% in 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which had higher inflation, South Africa or Japan?
Between 2000 and 2026, South Africa had higher cumulative inflation (162.85%) than Japan (11.44%), according to World Bank CPI data.
What was cumulative inflation in South Africa from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in South Africa rose 162.85% cumulatively, an average of 3.94% per year.
What was cumulative inflation in Japan from 2000 to 2026?
Prices in Japan rose 11.44% cumulatively, an average of 0.45% per year.
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Calculate Individually
Between 2000 and 2026, Japan had lower cumulative inflation (11.4%) than South Africa (162.9%).