WILLEMSTAD – Consumer prices in Curaçao declined slightly in July compared with the previous month, while the island’s inflation rate stood at 1.5 percent, according to figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell from 107.0 in June to 106.9 in July 2026, representing a month-on-month decrease of 0.1 percent.
The decline came despite price increases in several spending categories.
Prices for household furnishings and equipment increased by 0.2 percent, while food prices rose by 0.1 percent. Beverages and tobacco products also became 0.1 percent more expensive.
These increases were offset by lower prices in transportation and communication, which fell by 0.6 percent. The housing category recorded a smaller decline of 0.1 percent.
According to CBS, prices increased in three spending categories and decreased in two during July, while the remaining categories remained unchanged.
Over the longer term, Curaçao’s inflation rate stood at 1.5 percent in July.
CBS calculates inflation by comparing the average CPI over the most recent 12-month period with the average for the corresponding 12-month period one year earlier.
The 12-month average CPI increased from 104.0 in July 2025 to 105.5 in July 2026. Due to rounding differences, this translates into average consumer price inflation of 1.5 percent.
Inflation is an important measure of changes in purchasing power because it indicates how much the average cost of goods and services has increased over time.
CBS notes that the inflation rate can therefore be used as an indexation benchmark for wages, pensions, social benefits, the minimum wage and other forms of income.
The latest figures show that while Curaçao consumers experienced a slight reduction in overall prices between June and July, the average cost of living over the preceding 12 months remained higher than during the comparable period a year earlier.