RBI asks households about prices: the November 2026 inflation survey explained
On 3 November 2026 the Reserve Bank of India launched the November round of its Inflation Expectations Survey of Households. It sounds technical, but it is simply the central bank asking ordinary families what they think is happening to prices. Here is what the RBI's press release says, and why it can matter to your own budget.
What the survey is
The RBI says it has been regularly conducting the Inflation Expectations Survey of Households. This round covers 19 cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi and Thiruvananthapuram.
Households are asked for their own sense of price changes, based on what they actually buy. The release says the survey asks for qualitative answers on price changes, for general prices and for specific product groups, over the next three months and the next year, and for quantitative answers on current inflation, and inflation three months and one year ahead. The RBI says the results are useful inputs for monetary policy.
Who will be asked
The RBI has engaged an agency, Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, to run this round. Selected households will be approached by the agency and are requested to respond. The release also says that other people who are not approached can take part by filling in the survey schedule linked on the RBI website and e-mailing it to the address in the release. As a general safety rule, never share bank details, OTPs or passwords with anyone who contacts you about a survey. The questions described in the release are about prices.
Why it connects to your money
Policy interest rates are set with inflation in mind. In its October 2026 policy statement, the RBI raised the repo rate to 5.50%, and the same release gives its projection of 5.2% for CPI inflation in 2026-27. A survey of what households expect is one of the inputs the RBI looks at. What it decides then affects loan EMIs and deposit rates over time.
A worked example of rising prices
Your own inflation is not the same as the headline number, because it depends on what you buy. Here is a simple example, with an assumed rate that is not a forecast. Suppose a household spends Rs 40,000 a month and prices of its basket rise 5% a year for three years.
- After one year: Rs 40,000 x 1.05 = Rs 42,000.
- After two years: Rs 42,000 x 1.05 = Rs 44,100.
- After three years: Rs 44,100 x 1.05 = Rs 46,305.
The same basket costs Rs 6,305 more each month after three years, which is Rs 75,660 more over a year (Rs 6,305 x 12). If your income does not rise by at least that much, you are worse off in real terms. That is why it helps to compare your yearly pay rise or your deposit rate with your expected inflation.
What you can do
Keep a simple record of your monthly spending for a few months, group it into food, rent, transport and school fees, and see which items have risen most. That gives you a personal inflation rate that is more useful than any average. Then try the Gunaka inflation calculator with your own numbers. It gives estimates only, not financial advice.
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