Consumer Price Index Bulletin, August 2026

The general Consumer Price Index (base 100 = 2017-2018) rose from 629.4 in July 2026 to 639.4 in August, a monthly increase of 1.6% and an annual increase of 17.0%, against 0.9% and 17.5% the previous month. The annual rate has slowed for four consecutive months and is the lowest the index has recorded since September 2021, but the monthly rise is the fastest since April 2026.

IHSI attributes the acceleration in part to higher fuel prices at the pump. The transport index rose from 415.4 to 455.2, up 9.6% on the month and 26.6% on the year, recovering most of the 9.2% fall it recorded in July: gasoline and diesel rose to 26.3% year-on-year from 15.6% in July, and daily transport fares to 31.1% from 15.7%. Kerosene rose to 25.8% from 12.2%. Education rose 4.5% on the month, to an index of 192.8, as the school year opened.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages slowed to 0.9% on the month and 17.6% on the year, from 1.9% and 19.0% in July, with rice at 20.5% against 21.9%, corn 16.4% against 17.5%, meat 24.6% against 26.9%, fresh fish 23.9% against 25.5%, herring 19.3% against 21.0%, cooking oil 15.7% against 16.8%, banana 16.7% against 18.6% and peas 20.5% against 21.7%. Housing, water, gas, electricity and other fuels rose 1.3% on the month and 16.1% on the year, with housing rent at 14.0% against 16.4% and charcoal at 25.3% against 26.8%. Restaurants rose 21.2% on the year, with meals taken outside the home at 21.2% against 22.9%. Clothing and footwear rose 15.9% on the year, with fabrics at 19.8% against 19.0%.

Locally produced goods rose 17.7% year-on-year and imported goods 15.9%, against 18.3% and 16.3% the previous month. This edition drops the regional index table and reports regional rates in the text only: the Metropolitan Area, the Rest of the West and the Transversal Region posted the largest increases at 18.1%, 17.5% and 16.5%, and no other region exceeded 16.4%.