The rise in fuel prices –provoked by the sharp increase in oil prices as a result of the war in Iran– gives no respite and triggers inflation in Spain. Thus, this September, the cost of living for families has stood at 4.9% above the same month last year, the highest rate since February 2023, according to advance data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures the evolution of the prices of goods and services consumed by families) published this Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The president of the United States Federal Reserve (Fed), Kevin Warsh, faces the challenge this Wednesday of raising interest rates to combat inflation, which stood at 3.4% in August, far from the 2% target. Markets and investors take for granted a quarter-point increase, with a probability of more than 90%, according to the digital tool Fedwatch CME. But there is a problem: this is precisely the opposite of what the country's president, Donald Trump, who pushed for Warsh's appointment, wants. The head of the White House, in addition, threatened to cut off trade with all countries with which it has a trade deficit if the Fed does not lower the price of money, currently situated between 3.50% and 3.75%, after keeping it in July.

The cost of living for families continues to rise due to the increase in energy prices. In August, the prices of the set of consumer goods and services in Catalonia shot up by 4% annually, the highest figure since January 2023, but lower than the Spanish average, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published this Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The rise in fuel prices and the persistent effects of the war in Iran are driving inflation in Spain to a three-and-a-half-year high. During August, the consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living for families) stood at 4.3%, according to the advanced data published this Friday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The figure represents an increase of seven tenths compared to the previous month and is the highest growth rate since February 2023, when the State and the entire euro area were beginning to leave behind the inflation records registered months after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Salaries and pensions are moving along different paths. The divergence is "absolutely strategic" for the evolution of the economy and social cohesion, assures Jordi Garcia, professor of labor law at the University of Barcelona (UB). This August, retirees have collected an average of 1,574.9 euros, 4.5% more than a year ago, according to the Social Security. However, prices in July rose by 3.5% compared to 2025, while awaiting to know how much the cost of living has increased this month (based on data from the CPI, the consumer price index, published by the INE).

The tension in the fuel market caused by the war in the Middle East continues to put pressure on consumers' pockets. As confirmed this Thursday by the Spanish government, diesel has become expensive enough during the month of July to reinstate the hydrocarbon tax reduction to 20 cents per liter.

The Spanish economy maintained its high growth rate of recent years in the second quarter of 2026, above the European average. However, at the same time, the cost of living for families continues to rise, and this July will close at its highest levels since May 2024.

As expected, prices have picked up again during the month of June, increasing the cost of living by 0.8% in Catalonia compared to May. The prices of goods and services have accelerated their growth throughout Spain, where they have risen by 0.6%, coinciding with the end of tax reductions on electricity and gas approved by the Spanish government to mitigate the effects of the Iran war.

The cost of living in Spain remains high this June. The prices of goods and services consumed by families have accelerated their growth, mainly due to the end of tax reductions on electricity and gas that the Spanish government had approved last March and which expired from June 1st.

The debate is on the table as to whether fuel discounts will be extended until the end of September. We are talking about 21 cents per liter of gasoline and 29 cents per liter of diesel. This discount combines a reduction in VAT and another reduction in the hydrocarbon tax. With the current reduction, Spain is already at the lower limit of taxation allowed by the European Union. Why can the Government influence the price of fuel so much?According to the CNMC, approximately half of the price we pay corresponds to the costs and margins of the companies in the chain, while the other half consists of taxes: VAT and the hydrocarbon tax. In fact, gasoline bears a higher tax burden than diesel. The most striking thing is that VAT is calculated on the base price plus the hydrocarbon tax. In other words, we pay a tax on another tax. Therefore, any increase in price is immediately translated into more revenue for the State.As the holidays approach, the decision is more relevant than ever. An increase in fuel prices would drive up inflation in the coming months, which already stands at a worrying 3.2%. Let's not forget that energy is the raw material of all raw materials: when it becomes more expensive, it ends up making almost everything more expensive. Private car fuel consumption always rises during summer months. The price of fuel, moreover, conditions our perception of inflation. Few people consult the CPI every month, but everyone who drives knows how much it costs to fill the tank. When gasoline approached two euros per liter, it made headlines. Deep down, it's also a political climate decision. And, if not, there's always that joke that says no matter how much the price goes up, we can always put in 20 euros of gasoline.

The cost of living in Catalonia moderated last May despite the upward pressures of fuel costs on family economies caused by the energy crisis derived from the war in Iran. Nevertheless, the measures approved by the Spanish government to cut taxes on electricity and natural gas curbed price increases.

The cost of living for families has maintained this May the slowdown recorded the previous month, despite the continuation of the war in Iran and instability in energy markets, according to provisional data advanced this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

The 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.

Thousands of people participated this midday in the demonstration called by UGT and CCOO in Barcelona for Worker's Day, the central event of the day of protests in Catalonia. The Urban Guard put the participation in the protest at 2,500 people, while the organizers estimated there were between 10,000 and 15,000. Workers have mobilized spurred by international geopolitical instability and the electoral calendar in the State.

The fiscal measures to reduce the cost of electricity and fuels approved a month ago by the Spanish government have had a positive effect on the prices of goods and services consumed by families, which has allowed to moderate the inflation that had skyrocketed in March as a consequence of the energy crisis derived from the war in Iran.

The fiscal measures to reduce the cost of electricity and fuel approved a month ago by the Spanish government have had a positive effect on the prices of goods and services consumed by families, which has allowed to moderate the inflation that had soared in March as a consequence of the energy crisis derived from the war in Iran.

The rise in fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East sent the cost of living soaring in Catalonia and Spain in March, the first month with the war's effects, according to consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living for families) data published this Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE).

The US economy has been feeling the effects of the war in the Middle East and the escalating price of oil for some time now. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in March confirms this and reveals how the impact of the conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is reaching the pockets of Americans, as it soared to 3.3%, the highest level since May 2024. This rise coincides with market forecasts, which already expected a considerable escalation compared to February's 2.4% as a consequence of high gasoline prices.

Until 2022, and for more than 10 years, a hamburger chain sold one of theirs for 1 euro. Today, one costs 1.85. This is one of the clearest examples of inflation. And your salary, has it increased by 85% in 3 years? This is one of the best examples of the loss of purchasing power.

The war in Iran and the resulting increase in energy costs have impacted inflation in Spain. Thus, the cost of living for families this March has notably increased compared to February, as a result of the rise in prices of fuels and electricity.