Consumer prices remain more than 30% above 2019 levels

Consumer prices have risen more than 30% since the start of 2019, about 2.5 times the total increase recorded from 2012 through 2019. Annual inflation eased from its 2022 peak of 9%, but the accumulated increases continue to pressure household budgets.

The latest federal figures showed consumer prices up 3.4% over the previous year, with gasoline prices rising 27.4% and energy costs increasing 16.3%. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, rose 2.4%.

Several everyday costs have climbed sharply since 2012, including vehicle insurance, rent, vehicle repairs, dining out, day care and preschool. Wage gains had largely restored lost purchasing power by late 2024 or 2025, but higher energy costs have since pushed real wages back into negative territory.

Read the full story at indexbox.io.