Real Time Prices (RTP) is a live dataset compiled and updated weekly by the World Bank Development Economics Data Group. It includes three sub-series: Real Time Food Prices (RTFP) for staple foods, Real Time Energy Prices (RTEP) for fuel, and Real Time Exchange Rates (RTFX). The dataset is updated weekly, with the last recorded update on 2026-03-15.
Use Cases
- Modeling food price inflation based on staple food price data.
- Analyzing fuel price volatility based on the Real Time Energy Prices sub-series.
- Forecasting unofficial exchange rate movements based on the Real Time Exchange Rates data.
- Monitoring weekly price changes for food security and economic analysis.
Strengths
- Updated weekly, providing near-real-time data.
- Compiled by the World Bank Development Economics Data Group, an authoritative source.
- Integrates data from multiple sources including WFP, FAO, and National Statistical Offices.
- Uses machine learning to estimate missing price data.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- World Bank Development Economics Data Group (DECDG).
- Collection Method
- Combination of direct price measurement and machine learning estimation, using data from WFP, FAO, and National Statistical Offices.
- Time Range
- Historical and current estimates, updated weekly.
- Freshness
- Updated weekly, last updated 2026-03-15.
- Geography
- Liberia.