Antigua and Barbuda’s inflation rate climbed to 4.4 per cent in July, marking another increase in the cost of living as households faced higher expenses for electricity, education, clothing and other everyday needs.

The latest Consumer Price Index figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show the All Items Index rising from 126.97 in July 2025 to 132.58 in July 2026.

Prices also increased 2.1 per cent between June and July.

The July inflation rate continues a sharp turnaround from the beginning of the year, when annual inflation was negative 1.3 per cent in January and negative 0.8 per cent in February.

It subsequently rose to 1.7 per cent in March, 3.1 per cent in April and 4.1 per cent in May. Inflation eased slightly to 3.7 per cent in June before climbing to 4.4 per cent in July.

One of the biggest pressures came from household utilities.

Electricity prices were 42.9 per cent higher than in July last year, helping push the broader housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category up 7.6 per cent.

Communication recorded the largest increase among the major expenditure categories, rising 23.1 per cent year-on-year.

Education costs increased 13.3 per cent, while clothing and footwear rose 6.6 per cent. Restaurants and hotels were up 6.5 per cent.

Consumers did, however, see some relief at the supermarket.

The Food Index declined 0.8 per cent compared with July 2025, with fruit falling 13.8 per cent and meat and meat products down 5 per cent.

Food prices also dropped 1.4 per cent between June and July as fish and seafood fell 5.8 per cent, fruit declined 4 per cent and vegetables dropped 2.1 per cent.

Those reductions were not reflected across every grocery item. Oils and fats were 7.7 per cent more expensive than a year earlier, while sugar rose 13.1 per cent.

Milk, cheese and eggs also increased 4.7 per cent during July alone, driven largely by a 7.4 per cent increase in preserved milk and other milk products.

Elsewhere, consumers benefited from lower prices in several categories. Miscellaneous goods and services declined 4.2 per cent year-on-year, recreation and culture fell 3.3 per cent and transport dropped 2.1 per cent.

The latest figures show that while some food and transportation costs have eased, increases in several other areas of household spending have continued to push Antigua and Barbuda’s overall cost of living higher.