Inflation Costa Rica 2004

Average inflation: 12.3%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 12.3%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in September at 13.8%. The lowest inflation was in January at 11.0%.

Highest month
September: 13.8%
Lowest month
January: 11.0%
Difference
2.8 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with an average of 16.9%. The lowest price increase was in Communication with an average of 2.5%.

Highest increase
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels: 16.9%
Lowest increase
Communication: 2.5%

Historical Context

Current inflation is 1.6% higher than the 5-year average of 10.7%.

5-year average
10.7%
10-year average
12.9%
All-time high (1991)
28.8%
All-time low (2002)
9.2%

Trend

Inflation shows an upward trend. Compared to 2003, inflation has risen by +2.8 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+2.8 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
September: +5.4 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 10.3% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.

Purchasing Power

At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €112.30 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2004

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
14.9%
+2.6vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
10.3%
-2.0vs avg.
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Clothing and footwear
4.5%
-7.8vs avg.
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Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
16.9%
+4.6vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
9.5%
-2.8vs avg.
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Health
10.5%
-1.8vs avg.
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Transport
14.3%
+2.0vs avg.
More details →
Communication
2.5%
-9.8vs avg.
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Recreation and culture
6.8%
-5.5vs avg.
More details →
Education
11.6%
-0.7vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
8.6%
-3.7vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
8.7%
-3.6vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2003
January 11.0% +1.8
February 11.5% +1.9
March 11.3% +1.9
April 11.3% +1.0
May 11.4% +1.2
June 11.9% +1.7
July 12.4% +2.9
August 13.1% +4.4
September 13.8% +5.4
October 13.3% +4.4
November 13.3% +4.0
December 13.1% +3.2
Average 12.3%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 11/01/2026.

See also