A customer buys vegetables at a food market in Hong Kong on Feb 12, 2022. (LOUISE DELMOTTE / AFP)

HONG KONG – Overall consumer prices in Hong Kong rose 4.4 percent in September year-on-year, larger than the 1.9 percent increase recorded in August, the Census and Statistics Department announced on Friday.

Netting out the effects of the government's one-off relief measures, the underlying inflation rate was 1.8 percent, the same as that of August, the department said in a press release. 

Prices of food, clothing and footwear continued to record relatively visible year-on-year increases, while those of energy-related items soared further

“While the headline inflation rate was notably higher, it was mainly due to the low base of comparison resulting from the waiver of public housing rentals by the Hong Kong Housing Authority in the same month last year,” said a government spokesman. 

READ MORE: Hong Kong's consumer prices up 1.9% in August

Compared with September last year, price increases were recorded for electricity, gas and water, housing, basic food, meals out and takeaway food, clothing and footwear, transport, alcoholic drinks and tobacco, miscellaneous services and miscellaneous goods.

On the other hand, a year-on-year decrease in price was recorded for durable goods.  

Prices of food as well as clothing and footwear continued to record relatively visible year-on-year increases, while those of energy-related items soared further. Price pressures on other major components were broadly in check.

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While import prices will continue to rise notably amid high inflation in many major economies, the largely mild domestic cost pressures should keep overall inflation moderate in the near term, the government added.