慢性通货膨胀的特点是高得多的价格上涨比普通通货膨胀，年增长率达到了10 ％到30 ％在一些工业化国家，甚至100 ％或更多的在少数发展中国家。

为了适应慢性通货膨胀，正常的经济活动受到破坏：消费者购买商品和服务，以避免甚至更高的价格;炒楼增加;企业集中在短期投资;奖励获得储蓄，保险政策，养老金和长期债券减少，因为他们的未来通货膨胀侵蚀购买力;各国政府迅速扩大支出预期过高收入;出口国竞争力的贸易受到不利条件迫使他们转向保护主义和任意外汇管制。

在最极端的形式，长期价格上涨成为恶性通货膨胀，造成整个经济体系崩溃。

Chronic inflation is an economic phenomenon occurring when a country experiences high inflation for a prolonged period of time (several years or decades) due to undue expansion or increase of the money supply. In countries with chronic inflation, inflation expectations become 'built-in', and it becomes extremely difficult to reduce the inflation rate. Not to be confused with hyperinflation.