RABAT, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Morocco's annual consumer price inflation eased to 1.6 percent in December from 1.9 percent in November due to a slowing in non-food price rises, the High Planning Authority said on Friday.

Non-food price inflation fell to 0.7 percent in the year to December, down from 1.3 percent in November. Annual food inflation eased to 2.7 percent from 2.8 percent the previous month.

Communications costs fell 0.2 percent, but restaurants and hotels were 2.5 percent more expensive, the agency said, without giving details.

On a month-on-month basis, the consumer price index eased to 0.1 percent in December, down from 0.3 percent in November as food price inflation fell to 0.2 percent from 0.7 percent.

(Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Patrick Markey) ((pat.markey@thomsonreuters.com; +213-661-692993; Reuters Messaging: pat.markey.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))