Dutch inflation is 2.9%, so why does your wallet feel an 8% rise?

If Monday’s bank balance feels far worse than the 2.9% inflation headline, new CBS data explains the gap: CPI averages a national basket, while households repeatedly notice the items they buy most often and the price rises that stand out.

• Measured inflation was 2.9% in June 2026, versus a perceived rate of about 8%. Before the 2022 energy crisis the gap was much smaller; perceived inflation is now roughly twice its pre-crisis level.
• Inflation expectations have also climbed since early 2023: 41.3% expected an increase in March 2026 and 55% in April. Fuel-price and international-tension worries can change spending decisions before the full effect reaches CPI.
• Do not simply add 8% to the annual budget. Use the CBS personal inflation calculator and weight housing, travel, food and energy by actual household spending, then identify the two categories doing the real damage.

Hokimi field note: Compare three months of transactions before changing the budget. Frequent small rises dominate memory, but the largest saving may sit in rent, energy or transport.