The Consumer Price Index, measured by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, registered an increase of 0.34%during March 2026. However, this monthly growth does not reverse the general trend, as year-on-year inflation remains in negative territory, with a variation of -2.09%.
In cumulative terms, the first quarter of the year shows a drop of -0.85%, confirming atypical price behavior at the start of 2026.
Among the main factors driving the monthly increase were recreation, sports, and culture, as well as non-alcoholic food and beverages. In particular, products such as foreign tour packages, eggs, and airline tickets had a significant upward impact.
In contrast, goods such as new cars, rice, and potatoes helped contain the general increase in prices.
Del total de bienes y servicios analizados, el 48% aumentó de precio, mientras que un 35% registró disminuciones y un 17% se mantuvo sin cambios.
This mixed behavior reflects an economy with differentiated sector pressures, in a context where more than half of the index's divisions still show price reductions.
This is a news service prepared by ICS. For more information about the story, write to info@ics.cr or call 2519-9992 ICS, tax specialists.