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 cost of living for Catalan families rose slightly in February, despite remaining within the limits set by the European Central Bank (ECB). Last month was the last before the outbreak of the war in Iran, which is expected to have an upward impact on prices due to the resulting increase in the cost of oil and natural gas. Specifically, prices in Catalonia rose by 0.5% compared to January, a figure that stands out in contrast to the previous month, when the cost of living decreased compared to December. However, compared to a year ago, the growth was 2%, the same annual rate as in January, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures the evolution of prices of consumer goods and services) published this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). Across Spain, the INE has confirmed the data that I had already shared two weeks agoThus, in Spain, prices rose on average in February by 2.3% compared to the same month last year and by 0.4% compared to January. The rise in inflation is mainly due to the increase in fuel costs, which is expected to be even more pronounced in the coming months, with a monthly increase of 1.7%. Tourism and hospitality also became more expensive in February, with an average increase of 1.2%.

The Spanish economy accelerated its growth rate during the last three months of 2025, nearly doubling the expected growth rate for the eurozone, according to preliminary data released Friday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). This placed Spain among the leading growth countries in the European Union for another quarter. Meanwhile, the cost of living for families moderated in January after three consecutive months of price increases.

Catalonia was the second autonomous community with the lowest inflation in December and maintains, for the tenth consecutive month, a growth in the cost of living below the State average, where Madrid led the increase in the cost of living, according to data from the consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living) published this Thursday by the National Institute of Statistics.

The cost of living in Spain moderated in December thanks to lower fuel prices, according to preliminary data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures price changes) released Tuesday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). As a result, inflation across the country ended the year slightly below the projected growth rate for 2024.

The cost of living in Spain continued to rise this November, although at a more moderate pace than the previous monthAccording to preliminary data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living for families) published this Friday by the National Statistics Institute (INE), food and, to a lesser extent, leisure and cultural services, have been the items that have become most expensive this month, which was also marked by cheaper electricity. Thus, the CPI has increased by 0.2% this month compared to October, a more moderate growth rate than the 0.7% recorded between September and last month. If prices are compared to November 2024, the increase has been 3%, one-tenth of a percentage point less than the year-on-year rate for October. Although lower, the annual increase of 3% is among the highest of the last two years and one percentage point above the 2% target set by the European Central Bank in the long term.

Electricity, food, and clothing were the products that contributed most to the increased cost of living for Catalan families this past October, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures inflation) published this Friday by the National Statistics Institute (INE). Both in Catalonia and throughout Spain, prices rose again after three months of declines or very low growth. Thus, the prices of consumer goods and services increased by 0.4% last month compared to September, following the decrease recorded that month compared to August. Compared to October 2014, the increase was 2.6%. Across Spain, the INE confirmed the monthly and annual increases of 0.7% and 3.1%, respectively, which had already been reported. had advanced two weeks agoIn the case of Spain, last month's 3.1% inflation rate is the highest annual rate since June 2014 and exceeds the European Central Bank's (ECB) medium- and long-term target of 2% by more than one percentage point. In Catalonia, however, the 2.6% figure is lower than those recorded last winter, when inflation peaked at 3.1% in February. Only the Canary Islands and Murcia registered lower inflation rates than Catalonia, while the Balearic Islands and Madrid led the price increases with a year-on-year rise of 3.6% in both cases.

Food prices have risen significantly since the end of the pandemic, hitting lower-income families hardest, both in Catalonia and across Spain and Europe. This is the main conclusion of the study. Why is the price of food rising? The role of the food oligopoly and proposals for a change in the model, published this Wednesday by the Barcelona Institute for Urban Research (IDRA). The study, prepared by researchers Rubén Martínez and Adrià Rodríguez, points out that strong business concentration, both globally and in national distribution, explains why food inflation has been so high over the past four years.

The cost of living for Spanish families fell this September compared to August, although fuel and, to a lesser extent, electricity prices were almost 3% higher than a year earlier, according to advance data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living) published this Monday by the National Institute.

The rise in oil prices in recent months, which led to higher gasoline and diesel prices, pushed up the cost of living for Catalan families in June, along with the prices of leisure and cultural services and hospitality and catering, which also increased due to the approaching summer season. However, the annual inflation rate in Catalonia was slightly lower than the Spanish average and stood at just 2%, the target level set by the European Central Bank (ECB).

Inflation in Spain again exceeded the target set by the European Central Bank (ECB) this June, albeit slightly, according to advance data on the consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the evolution of the cost of living) published this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). The rise in fuel prices due to the war in the Next. prices.

Inflation in the years immediately following the pandemic eroded household purchasing power, and in most advanced economies, wages have yet to recover. According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, the umbrella organization of the world's major developed economies), by the third quarter of last year, wages had recovered to the purchasing power they had in 2020 in only 12 of the 33 most advanced countries.

Prices for consumer goods and services have remained largely unchanged this May. This has led to the consumer price index (CPI, the indicator that measures the cost of living for households) recording annual growth this month below the 2% maximum target set by the European Central Bank (ECB). Thus, this month the CPI has not registered, on average, any increase compared to April, and will therefore close the month with a 0% increase. This is due to the lower cost of leisure and tourism services, and to a lesser extent, transportation. Another factor has been the rise in electricity prices this month, but at a slower rate than a year ago.

Lower electricity and fuel prices halted the upward trend in the cost of living in Catalonia in March. Thus, prices for consumer goods and services for families remained flat on average between February and March, according to data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).