Elderly households feel more pinch from inflation

Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) Households comprised of individuals aged 65 and older in Taiwan suffered more impact from inflation than the population as a whole largely due to the high weighting of healthcare expenses and living costs, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS).

Data compiled by the DGBAS showed the consumer price index (CPI) reported for elderly households rose 1.74 percent from a year earlier in 2025, higher than the 1.66 percent increase on average in Taiwan.

The DGBAS said it was the seventh consecutive year inflation recorded by elderly households beat the average CPI growth in Taiwan.

As with the United States, Japan and Singapore, Taiwan started to compile inflation for its elderly households in 2018, DGBAS Senior Executive Officer Tsao Chih-hung (曹志弘) said.

What is common in the inflation faced by elderly families in these economies is they saw higher impact from healthcare and living costs, Tsao added.

In 2025, healthcare expenses accounted for 8.33 percent of the total CPI for elderly households, compared with 5.41 percent for an average family in Taiwan, while healthcare expenses rose 2.02 percent with the national average being 1.90 percent, the DGBAS said.

Living costs, including rents, for elderly households made up almost 32 percent of the total in 2025 and about 23 percent for the entire population's inflation, while living costs rose 2.04 percent from a year for elderly families compared with a 1.93 percent increase for the entire population, the DGBAS added.

In addition, Tsao said food prices also served as a critical factor for elderly households, as unstable weather boosted food prices in 2025. In addition, higher dining out expenses also contributed to the higher food costs of these families, according to the DGBAS.

In recent months, however, the CPI growth for elderly households has shown signs of moderating, the DGBAS said.

In December, for example, inflation for elderly families stood at 1.27 percent, compared with 1.31 percent for the entire population, the DGBAS added.

Taiwan's CPI growth fell below the 2 percent alert set by the central bank for the first time in four years in 2025.