— Consumer prices in Antigua and Barbuda rose 7% over the 12 months ending September 2026, driven largely by sharp increases in communication, housing and transportation costs, even as food prices declined.

The National Bureau of Statistics said Friday that non-food inflation was the main contributor to the year-over-year increase in the Consumer Price Index, or CPI, which is the country’s primary measure of inflation.

Communication costs recorded the largest increase among the major categories, rising 23.1% compared with September 2025. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels increased 12.6%, while transport costs climbed 12%.

The figures show consumers were also paying considerably more for air travel. The Transport Services Index jumped 25.5% over the 12-month period, largely because the cost of passenger air transportation increased 29.7%.

The cost of operating personal transportation equipment increased 6.1%, with the Statistics Division attributing part of that increase to the price of gasoline at the pump rising from $14.50 to $16.50. Actual housing rentals were also 8.9% higher than a year earlier.

Those increases came despite some relief at supermarkets and other food retailers.

The Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Index declined 1% over the year, while the narrower Food Index fell 1.5%. Lower prices for vegetables and meat and meat products were major contributors to the decrease.

Vegetable prices fell 10.4%, with all three vegetable subcategories recording declines averaging 11.1%. Fresh or chilled potatoes registered the largest decrease at 13%, while frozen, preserved or processed vegetables were down 10.8%.

Meat and meat products declined 3.8%. Pork prices recorded a particularly steep drop of 15.8%, while other meats and edible offal declined 8.9%.

The bureau’s measure of prices excluding food and energy rose 7.5% over the 12-month period, further indicating that inflationary pressures extended beyond volatile food and fuel prices.

Prices Rose 1.1% in September Alone

On a month-to-month basis, the overall CPI increased 1.1% in September, while food and non-alcoholic beverage prices moved in the opposite direction, declining 1.1%.

Fish and seafood prices recorded a substantial decline during the period, falling 13.8%. Fresh, chilled or frozen fish and seafood decreased 18.2%, while preserved or processed fish and seafood fell 11.7%.

Vegetable prices also dropped 4.5%. Fresh and chilled vegetables declined 5.7%, while frozen, preserved or processed vegetables fell 4.4%. The bureau said the relatively large weight of those categories helped push food inflation downward.

Energy costs, however, rose sharply during September.

The Energy Index increased 4.6%, influenced by the increase in gasoline prices from $14.50 to $16.50 per gallon. The bureau calculated the increase in gasoline costs at 13.8%.

Prices excluding food and energy

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda Inflation Climbs 7% as Housing, Transport and Communication Costs Surge.