Dutch inflation rises to 3,2% as fuel and energy costs jump
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By Simone Jacobs
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Life in the Netherlands is significantly more expensive than it was a year ago. Due to rising fuel and energy prices, inflation has increased to 3,2 percent.
High fuel and energy prices drive Dutch inflation up
Based on the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), goods and services were 3,2 percent more expensive in July 2026, compared to a year earlier. Just a month before in June, inflation stood at 2,9 percent.
CBS attributes the recent rise in inflation to higher fuel and energy costs. Fuel was 22 percent more expensive in July compared to the same month in 2025. In June, this was 17,3 percent.
Energy, including gas, electricity and district heating, was 1,1 percent more expensive last month, while in June it was still 1,8 percent cheaper than a year ago, reports CBS. Another factor that also drove inflation up was the expansion of import duties on consumer goods ordered from outside the EU, with the tax on e-commerce parcels, for example.
Petrol and gas prices were nearing record highs in July due to the re-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. However, the drought is now also having an impact on energy prices as low water levels have led to scaled-down energy production in several countries.
Housing dampens effect of inflation
Dutch housing prices rose less sharply, which means there was actually a dampening effect on inflation, according to CBS. Price trends for both rental and owner-occupied homes were measured based on housing rents.
Preliminary figures show that while housing was 4,3 percent more expensive than a year ago, the year-on-year increase in June was 4,7 percent.
Even though inflation has increased, it is still not as high as residents in the Netherlands perceive it to be. An earlier study found that consumers typically believe inflation is significantly higher than it actually is. For example, when inflation was 2,9 percent in June 2026, consumers perceived it to be 8 percent.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more