GET/v1/cpi/compare

Compare CPI headline values across up to 20 countries

Compare Consumer Price Index headline values and year-over-year inflation rates across multiple countries in a single request. Use this endpoint when a caller wants a flat comparison table (dashboard widgets, CSV export, AI explanations) and does not need the per-category breakdown. **Format:** `countries` is a comma-separated list of ISO country codes, between 2 and 20 entries. Whitespace and lowercase are tolerated — the server upper-cases and trims each entry. **When to use vs `/v1/compare-cost-of-living`:** this endpoint returns raw CPI data for N countries. For natural-language country comparisons with salary adjustment and category breakdowns between two countries, use the semantic `GET /v1/compare-cost-of-living` endpoint instead. Source: BLS CPI, Eurostat HICP, OECD CPI. Required scope: `costapi:read`.

Authentication

Requires API key via X-API-Key header.

Parameters

NameInTypeRequiredDescription
countriesquerystringrequiredComma-separated country codes (e.g., US,GB,DE). 2-20 entries.

Example request

curl
curl -X GET \
  "https://col.wageapi.com/api/v1/cpi/compare?countries=%3Ccountries%3E" \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

Responses

200Successful Response
dataCpiCompareResponserequired
base_countrystringrequired
comparisonsarray<CpiCompareItem>optional
array of CpiCompareItem
country_codestringrequired
country_namestringrequired
latest_cpianyoptional
one of:
option 1:
number
option 2:
null
yoy_changeanyoptional
one of:
option 1:
number
option 2:
null
metadataMetadataSchemarequired
sourcesarray<SourceSchema>optional
array of SourceSchema
namestringrequired

Data source name (e.g., 'BLS', 'OECD', 'Eurostat')

datasetstringrequired

Specific dataset identifier

urlanyoptional

URL to the source dataset

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
last_updatedanyoptional

When this data was last refreshed

one of:
option 1:
string (date-time)
option 2:
null
request_idstringrequired

Unique request identifier

rate_limitanyoptional
one of:
option 1:
remainingintegerrequired

Remaining requests today

daily_limitintegerrequired

Total daily request limit

reset_atstring (date-time)required

When the rate limit resets

option 2:
null
paginationanyoptional
one of:
option 1:
pageintegerrequired
page_sizeintegerrequired
totalintegerrequired
total_pagesintegerrequired
option 2:
null
data_vintageanyoptional

Data freshness (e.g., 'CPI data from February 2026')

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
methodology_notesanyoptional

Methodology notes (e.g., 'CPI rebased to 2020=100')

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
401Missing or invalid API key.
errorErrorDetailrequired

Structured error payload returned by all Aethar APIs. Mirrors the shape produced by aethar_auth.exception_handlers so the OpenAPI spec accurately describes real error bodies for documentation readers and MCP clients.

codestringrequired

Machine-readable error code (e.g. INVALID_API_KEY)

messagestringrequired

Human-readable error message

statusintegerrequired

HTTP status code

request_idstringrequired

Request identifier — include in support tickets

suggestionanyoptional

Actionable hint on how to resolve the error

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
doc_urlanyoptional

Link to full documentation for this error code

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
fieldanyoptional

Field that caused the error (if applicable)

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
errorsanyoptional

Per-field validation errors (only for 422 VALIDATION_ERROR responses)

one of:
option 1:
array of object
object
option 2:
null
403API key lacks the required scope for this endpoint.
errorErrorDetailrequired

Structured error payload returned by all Aethar APIs. Mirrors the shape produced by aethar_auth.exception_handlers so the OpenAPI spec accurately describes real error bodies for documentation readers and MCP clients.

codestringrequired

Machine-readable error code (e.g. INVALID_API_KEY)

messagestringrequired

Human-readable error message

statusintegerrequired

HTTP status code

request_idstringrequired

Request identifier — include in support tickets

suggestionanyoptional

Actionable hint on how to resolve the error

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
doc_urlanyoptional

Link to full documentation for this error code

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
fieldanyoptional

Field that caused the error (if applicable)

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
errorsanyoptional

Per-field validation errors (only for 422 VALIDATION_ERROR responses)

one of:
option 1:
array of object
object
option 2:
null
422Too many or too few countries supplied.
errorErrorDetailrequired

Structured error payload returned by all Aethar APIs. Mirrors the shape produced by aethar_auth.exception_handlers so the OpenAPI spec accurately describes real error bodies for documentation readers and MCP clients.

codestringrequired

Machine-readable error code (e.g. INVALID_API_KEY)

messagestringrequired

Human-readable error message

statusintegerrequired

HTTP status code

request_idstringrequired

Request identifier — include in support tickets

suggestionanyoptional

Actionable hint on how to resolve the error

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
doc_urlanyoptional

Link to full documentation for this error code

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
fieldanyoptional

Field that caused the error (if applicable)

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
errorsanyoptional

Per-field validation errors (only for 422 VALIDATION_ERROR responses)

one of:
option 1:
array of object
object
option 2:
null
429Daily rate limit exceeded for this API key.
errorErrorDetailrequired

Structured error payload returned by all Aethar APIs. Mirrors the shape produced by aethar_auth.exception_handlers so the OpenAPI spec accurately describes real error bodies for documentation readers and MCP clients.

codestringrequired

Machine-readable error code (e.g. INVALID_API_KEY)

messagestringrequired

Human-readable error message

statusintegerrequired

HTTP status code

request_idstringrequired

Request identifier — include in support tickets

suggestionanyoptional

Actionable hint on how to resolve the error

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
doc_urlanyoptional

Link to full documentation for this error code

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
fieldanyoptional

Field that caused the error (if applicable)

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
errorsanyoptional

Per-field validation errors (only for 422 VALIDATION_ERROR responses)

one of:
option 1:
array of object
object
option 2:
null
500Unexpected server error. Includes a request_id for support.
errorErrorDetailrequired

Structured error payload returned by all Aethar APIs. Mirrors the shape produced by aethar_auth.exception_handlers so the OpenAPI spec accurately describes real error bodies for documentation readers and MCP clients.

codestringrequired

Machine-readable error code (e.g. INVALID_API_KEY)

messagestringrequired

Human-readable error message

statusintegerrequired

HTTP status code

request_idstringrequired

Request identifier — include in support tickets

suggestionanyoptional

Actionable hint on how to resolve the error

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
doc_urlanyoptional

Link to full documentation for this error code

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
fieldanyoptional

Field that caused the error (if applicable)

one of:
option 1:
string
option 2:
null
errorsanyoptional

Per-field validation errors (only for 422 VALIDATION_ERROR responses)

one of:
option 1:
array of object
object
option 2:
null

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