Vietnam's consumer prices rose 8.51 percent in the first quarter of the year, driven mainly by higher prices for housing, construction materials and food, government data showed Wednesday.

In March alone, inflation rose 9.46 percent year-on-year, the highest rate since the same month a year ago when the rise was recorded at 11.25 percent.

Prices for housing and construction materials in the first quarter were up by 14.10 percent while that of food increased by 9.13 percent, the General Statistics Office said in a report.

Month-to-month, consumer prices in March rose by 0.75 percent.