The cost of living moderates the rise in April thanks to the cheapening of electricity and gas

BarcelonaThe reduction in electricity and natural gas bills moderated the increase in the cost of living in April, both in Catalonia and in Spain as a whole. The measures approved by the Spanish government to reduce some taxes on electricity and gas had the desired effect, although, on the other hand, the cost of fuel continued to rise due to uncertainty in international energy markets because of the war in Iran.

Thus, the prices of goods and services usually consumed by Catalan families rose, on average, by 0.4% between March and April, notably below the 1.1% increase recorded between February and March, according to data from the consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures price evolution) published this Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). If compared with the same month in 2025, this past April the cost of living had increased by a notable 3% in Catalonia, one tenth less than the year-on-year rate in March.

In Spain as a whole, the INE has confirmed the data it had already advanced two weeks ago: the cost of living increased by 3.2% annually in April, which represents a reduction of two tenths compared to the figure recorded the previous month. Between March and April, prices rose by 0.4%, far from the 1.2% recorded between February and March.