Zambian Kwacha Inflation Calculator
ZMW 1,000 in 1985 has the same buying power as ZMW 38,873,765 in 2026.
Convert Zambian Kwacha between any two years
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ZMW 1,000 in 2001 is worth ZMW 18,212 in 2026
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Inflation analysis
Inflation in Zambia
Zambia inflation is 9.00% in 2026, following 13.91% in 2025. 42 years of data are available, from 1985.
This page covers 42 years of Zambia consumer price data, from 1985 to 2026. The steepest single year on record was 1993, when consumer prices in Zambia rose 183.3%. Prices more than doubled within that single year.
Prices have not fallen across a full year once in the 41 years recorded here. Every year on this page moves in the same direction, which is why an amount of money always buys less later than earlier. By decade, the 1990s were the most inflationary stretch, averaging 76.2% a year, while the 2010s were the calmest at 8.7%. Over the last ten years inflation has averaged 12.1% a year, markedly calmer than the 34.1% average across the whole record.
Zambia CPI and inflation rate by year
The full annual series behind this calculator, from 1985 to 2026. The final column shows what ZMW 1,000 in that year is worth in 2026 money.
| Year | CPI index | Inflation | ZMW 1,000 then, in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 365.74 | 9.00% | ZMW 1,000.00 |
| 2025 | 335.54 | 13.91% | ZMW 1,090 |
| 2024 | 294.56 | 14.99% | ZMW 1,242 |
| 2023 | 256.18 | 10.88% | ZMW 1,428 |
| 2022 | 231.03 | 10.99% | ZMW 1,583 |
| 2021 | 208.15 | 22.02% | ZMW 1,757 |
| 2020 | 170.58 | 15.73% | ZMW 2,144 |
| 2019 | 147.39 | 9.15% | ZMW 2,481 |
| 2018 | 135.04 | 7.49% | ZMW 2,708 |
| 2017 | 125.62 | 6.58% | ZMW 2,911 |
| 2016 | 117.87 | 17.87% | ZMW 3,103 |
| 2015 | 100.00 | 10.11% | ZMW 3,657 |
| 2014 | 90.82 | 7.81% | ZMW 4,027 |
| 2013 | 84.24 | 6.98% | ZMW 4,342 |
| 2012 | 78.75 | 6.58% | ZMW 4,644 |
| 2011 | 73.89 | 6.43% | ZMW 4,950 |
| 2010 | 69.42 | 8.50% | ZMW 5,268 |
| 2009 | 63.98 | 13.40% | ZMW 5,716 |
| 2008 | 56.43 | 12.45% | ZMW 6,482 |
| 2007 | 50.18 | 10.66% | ZMW 7,288 |
| 2006 | 45.35 | 9.02% | ZMW 8,065 |
| 2005 | 41.60 | 18.32% | ZMW 8,793 |
| 2004 | 35.15 | 17.97% | ZMW 10,404 |
| 2003 | 29.80 | 21.40% | ZMW 12,273 |
| 2002 | 24.55 | 22.23% | ZMW 14,900 |
| 2001 | 20.08 | 21.39% | ZMW 18,212 |
| 2000 | 16.54 | 26.03% | ZMW 22,109 |
| 1999 | 13.13 | 26.79% | ZMW 27,864 |
| 1998 | 10.35 | 24.46% | ZMW 35,328 |
| 1997 | 8.32 | 24.42% | ZMW 43,969 |
| 1996 | 6.69 | 43.07% | ZMW 54,705 |
| 1995 | 4.67 | 34.93% | ZMW 78,268 |
| 1994 | 3.46 | 54.60% | ZMW 105,607 |
| 1993 | 2.24 | 183.31% | ZMW 163,270 |
| 1992 | 0.79 | 165.71% | ZMW 462,563 |
| 1991 | 0.30 | 97.64% | ZMW 1,229,061 |
| 1990 | 0.15 | 107.02% | ZMW 2,429,145 |
| 1989 | 0.07 | 123.40% | ZMW 5,028,908 |
| 1988 | 0.03 | 51.00% | ZMW 11,234,794 |
| 1987 | 0.02 | 47.05% | ZMW 16,964,990 |
| 1986 | 0.01 | 55.83% | ZMW 24,946,550 |
| 1985 | 0.00941 | — | ZMW 38,873,765 |
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Zambia inflation FAQ
- What is the current inflation rate in Zambia?
- Zambia inflation was 9.00% in 2026, the most recent year in this dataset, measured as the change in the annual average consumer price index from 2025.
- How much has Zambian Kwacha lost in value since 1985?
- ZMW 1,000 in 1985 has the same purchasing power as ZMW 38,873,765 in 2026. That is cumulative inflation of 3,887,276.55% over 41 years, an average of 29.40% per year.
- What years does this Zambia inflation calculator cover?
- This calculator covers 42 years, from 1985 to 2026. You can convert an amount between any two years in that range.
- Can Zambian Kwacha inflation be negative?
- Yes. Negative inflation, or deflation, means prices fell and Zambian Kwacha gained purchasing power over that year. Zambia has not recorded a single year of falling prices in this dataset, which covers 42 years.
- What is the difference between CPI and the inflation rate?
- The consumer price index (CPI) is a level: it measures the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services in a given year. The inflation rate is the percentage change in that level between two periods. This calculator uses the ratio of CPI values for your two chosen years to convert an amount between them.
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