Between December 2020 and May 2021, the average cost of airline tickets in Costa Rica increased 18%, a variation that is explained by the increase in fuel prices and the depreciation of the local currency.
One of the sectors with the highest contribution to the variation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in May was Transportation. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), gasoline, airline tickets and tourist packages abroad were among the main items with the greatest positive effect on the price level.
Offering more amenities in residential complexes and maintaining the discounts offered in housing fairs for longer are some of the strategies applied by real estate developers in Costa Rica to increase sales of new homes.
According to the most recent figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), between the first half of 2018 and the same period in 2019 the number of houses built in Costa Rica fell by 11% from 10,753 to 9,620.
In the last two years, the number of jobs generated by companies in this sector has fallen 7%, because of the slowdown in the country's economic activity.
According to information from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), between the second quarter of 2017 and the same period of 2019, the number of jobs in the commercial sector was reduced by 28,621, from 386,597 to 357,976.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2017, the unemployment rate remained unchanged compared to the same period in the previous year, at 9.3% and the percentage of employed persons with informal employment was 41%.
The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) reported that underemployment presented a decrease in this fourth quarter of 2017, registering a level of 8%, while in the same period of 2016 the figure reached 9%.
Despite what the government has publicized, in-depth analysis of data in the 2016 National Household Survey confirms that welfarism was not the reason for the decline in poverty.
EDITORIAL
Without glossing over concepts that are politically expedient for a government that is in particular need of demonstrating some sort of achievement in its management, Diego Fernandez, Data Scientist at CentralAmericaData.com, thoroughly investigated the complex interplay of factors that determine poverty, confirming what is already known: direct assistance to families works better as a method of political patronage than as a tool for sustainable improvement of their income.
In August the consumer price index recorded a monthly variation of 0.03%, putting annual inflation at 0.60%, and inflation accumulated so far this year at 0.97%.
The groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in August 2016 were: Rent and housing services and entertainment and culture.
In August 2016, of the 315 goods and services included in the consumer basket, 52% went up in price, 34% went down in price and 14% did not change.
In July, the consumer price index recorded a monthly variation of 0.93%, putting annual inflation at 0.48%, and inflation accumulated so far this year at 0.94%.
The groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in July 2016 were: Transport and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.
In July 2016, of the 315 goods and services that make up the consumer basket, 49% increased in price, 42% decreased in price and 9% had no change.
Despite the slight monthly increase of 0.19% in the consumer price index in May, inflation in the last twelve months was -0.43%.
The National Institute of Statistics reported that in May 2016, of the 315 goods and services included in the consumer basket, 42% increased in price, 46% decreased and 12% remained the same.
"The level of the overall index in May 2016 is 99,142, while in the previous month it was 98,950, on the other hand, the groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in May 2016 were transport and education.
The Continuous Employment Survey for the first quarter 2016 sets the net national labor participation at 58.6%, which represents a significant decrease of 3.2 percentage points.
From a statement issued by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC)
Following the trend of the last five months, in March the consumer price index fell by 0.91%, putting annual inflation at -1.09%, and inflation accumulated so far this year at -0.26%.
The groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in March 2016 were: Transport and Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.
In March 2016, of the 315 goods and services included in the consumer basket, 47% had prices reductions, 44% increased in price and 9% had no change.
In February, the consumer price index recorded a decrease of 0.02%, putting annual inflation at -0.03%, and inflation accumulated so far this year at 0.65%.
The groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in February 2016 were foods and non-alcoholic beverages and education.
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In February 2016, of the 315 goods and services included in the consumer basket, 47% increased price, price 43% decreased and 10% showed no change.
Income from self-employment has improved in rural areas, while urban households purchasing power fell by 1.2% in June 2015.
Although the unemployment rate in Costa Rica was close to 10% in October 2015, the income from self-employment has consolidated becoming the second largest source in the country: it increased by 22.7% in June 2015 compared to same month in 2014 in rural areas and 16.1% in urban areas, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census.
Despite the consumer price index recording a monthly variation of 0.68%, it was not enough to prevent inflation remaining in negative territory.
The groups which made the greatest contribution to the CPI in January 2016 were: Food and non-alcoholic beverages and Rent and housing services, as reported by the National Institute of Statistics and Census.
In December, the consumer price index recorded a decrease of 0.19%, placing annual inflation -0.81%.
The groups with the greatest contribution to the CPI in December 2015 were: Food and non-alcoholic beverages and Communications.
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In December 2015, of the 315 goods and services included in the consumer basket, 49% saw price increases, 40% fell in price and 11% did not change.