WILLEMSTAD – Consumer prices in Curaçao remained unchanged in January 2026 compared with December 2025, according to new figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January stood at 104.7, the same level recorded in December. Despite the stable monthly index, inflation over the past twelve months reached 2.0 percent.
CBS reported that prices increased in seven consumption categories during January, while two categories recorded a decline.
Among the categories that saw price increases were food, which rose by 0.5 percent, followed by beverages and tobacco products at 0.4 percent. Prices for clothing and footwear increased by 0.3 percent, while smaller increases were recorded for furniture and household equipment, healthcare, recreation and development, and miscellaneous expenses, each rising by 0.1 percent.
On the other hand, prices fell in the categories of transport and communication, which declined by 0.4 percent, and housing, which dropped by 0.3 percent.
Inflation reflects the loss of purchasing power over time as the prices of goods and services increase. The inflation rate is often used as an important indicator for adjusting wages, pensions, social benefits, minimum wages and other forms of income.
According to CBS, the inflation rate is calculated by comparing the average CPI over a twelve-month period with the same period one year earlier.
For the twelve months leading up to January 2026, consumer prices increased on average by 2.0 percent compared with the previous year. During that period, the twelve-month average CPI rose from 102.8 in January 2025 to 104.8 in January 2026.