In May, the consumer price index was affected the most by housing and transport

News

Posted on 7 June 2019, 11:00

According to Statistics Estonia, the change of the consumer price index in May 2019 was 0.2% compared to April 2019 and 3.1% compared to May of the previous year.

Compared to May 2018, goods were 2.3% and services 4.7% more expensive. Regulated prices of goods and services have risen by 4.1% and non-regulated prices by 2.9% compared to May of the previous year.

Compared to May 2018, the consumer price index was affected the most by housing, which contributed over a quarter of the total increase of the index. 70% of the latter was contributed by electricity, gas and other fuels. Electricity that reached homes turned 6.3% and solid fuels 14.2% more expensive. Nearly one quarter of the total increase was due to food and non-alcoholic beverages, of which over 80% was contributed by 32% more expensive vegetables. Compared to May of the previous year, petrol was 4.4% and diesel fuel 6.8% more expensive. Of food products, the biggest year-on-year price increases were seen for fresh vegetables (53%) and potatoes (46%), and the biggest price decreases for fresh fruits and eggs (11%).

Compared to April, in May, the consumer price index was affected the most by transport. Plane tickets purchased for May were 23% cheaper than the tickets bought for April. A greater impact on the index was also exerted by a seasonal price increase of accommodation services (16.5%) and higher prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages. Vegetables turned 2.1% more expensive over the month.

Change of the consumer price index by commodity groups, May 2019
Commodity group	May 2018 – May 2019, %	April 2019 – May 2019, %
TOTAL	3.1	0.2
Food and non-alcoholic beverages	3.3	0.6
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco	1.8	0.1
Clothing and footwear	-0.8	0.1
Housing	5.9	0.2
Household goods	3.0	0.5
Health	2.0	0.7
Transport	2.6	-0.8
Communications	-2.8	-0.2
Recreation and culture	5.7	0.1
Education	6.1	0.0
Hotels, cafés and restaurants	4.5	2.9
Miscellaneous goods and services	2.0	-0.7

Statistics Estonia publishes the consumer price index on the 5th working day of each month, after the end of the reporting period. For the statistical activity “Consumer price index”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Finance, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.