Inflation Rises 1.4% in First Half of 2025, Food and Fuel Drive Increase

Consumer prices were up for the first half of 2025 when compared to the same six-month period last year. According to the latest data from the Statistical Institute of Belize, inflation for January to June 2025 was up 1.4 percent over 2024. The overall rise was primarily driven by higher prices in three key areas: ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’, which was up 2.4 percent; ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels’, which was up 2.3 percent; and ‘Personal Care, Social Protection and Miscellaneous Goods and Services’, up 3.2 percent. There were notable increases for several food items, including bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, and meats such as beef steak. Home rentals and LPG costs also saw a significant jump. In contrast, the ‘Transport’ and ‘Information and Communication’ categories saw a decline in prices, dropping 1.3 and 1.7 percent respectively, due to lower costs for fuel, mobile phones, and televisions. Looking at the month of June alone, the national inflation rate was 1.1 percent. The primary driver of this monthly increase was the ‘Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ category, which saw a 2.8 percent rise, largely due to a sharp increase in the price of a 100-pound cylinder of LPG, the largest year-on-year increase since 2022.