Communication Costs Soar 23.1% as Antiguans Pay More to Stay Connected

Antiguans and Barbudans are paying considerably more to stay connected, with communication expenses recording the sharpest increase among the major categories measured in the country’s latest inflation figures.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show communication costs climbed 23.1 per cent in the 12 months ending July 2026, making it the fastest-rising major component of the Consumer Price Index.

The Communication Index moved from 162.74 in July 2025 to 200.34 in July this year.

Much of that movement occurred within a single month. Between June and July, the index jumped 21.7 per cent, reflecting a significant increase in expenses associated with services such as mobile phones, cellphone rates and internet access.

Communication accounts for 8.7 per cent of the basket of goods and services used to calculate the Consumer Price Index, giving the increase added significance for overall inflation.

No other major category came close to its 23.1 per cent annual rise.

Education recorded the second-largest increase at 13.3 per cent, while housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose 7.6 per cent.

Consumers also faced higher costs for clothing and footwear, which increased 6.6 per cent, while restaurants and hotels rose 6.5 per cent.

The surge in communication expenses came as Antigua and Barbuda’s overall annual inflation rate climbed to 4.4 per cent in July, up from 3.7 per cent in June.

The July figure was also the highest year-on-year inflation rate recorded during the 13-month period from July 2025 to July 2026.

With mobile phones and internet access now forming part of everyday household expenses, the latest figures show that staying connected is taking a noticeably bigger bite out of consumers’ budgets.