By William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Nov. 27, 2025
The cost of living went up by 0.9 percent (inflation rate) last month, compared to October 2024, the Statistics Institute of Belize reported on Wednesday, November 26. This was based on the Consumer Price Index, a figure which the Institute calculates based on the cost of an average basket of goods and services a household buys in any given month, which was 120.7 last month—0.6 percent more than the 119.7 CPI reported a year ago. The overall inflation rate since January 2025 is 1.2 percent.
This increase resulted from higher food and beverage prices, high cost of cooking gas, and higher house rents. Housing and utilities went up by 2.4 percent last month, compared to last year, as the price of a 100-pound cylinder of butane went to $129.33, up from $116.53 a year ago. House rent also went up 1.7 percent.
The cost of food and drinks went up by 1.0 percent, as the cost of fresh meat increased by 2.3 percent. Whole fish prices rose by 8.8 percent to $9.72/lb, up from $8.93/lb a year ago. Beef steak prices went up 8.3 percent to $10.98/lb, compared to $10.14/lb a year ago. The price of ground beef went up by 20 cents per pound, or 2.6 percent, to $7.66/lb. The price of chicken wings went up 4.1 percent; while chicken breast prices increased 3.7 percent; the price of chicken legs rose by 2.8 percent; and even whole chicken costs 1.4 percent more. Our iron staple – red kidney beans—now costs 2.1 percent more: $2.79/lb. The prices of fruit and vegetable juices shot up 5.5 percent; purified water prices increased by 2.7 percent; and soft drink prices went up by 2.6 percent. Eating out at restaurants costs 2.8 percent more than last year.
In particular, eating healthy costs more, as fresh vegetables like cucumbers cost 12.5 percent more at $1.50/lb; the price of okra went up 12 percent to $3.87/lb; and the price of watermelons went up 34 percent to $1.16/lb! This was offset by plantains becoming 13.2 percent cheaper, down to 50 cents each; grapefruit prices dropping 13.6 percent to 60 cents each; the price of oranges falling 4.5 percent to 30 cents each; and lime prices slipping ever so slightly, by 1.7 percent to 54 cents each! Even medical care costs more, as visits to the doctor and the cost of medication went up by 3.8 percent. The price of personal care products like deodorants and lotions went up 1.7 percent.
Transportation got 1.1 percent cheaper, as fuel prices fell marginally, by 2.6 percent for regular gasoline to $11.73/gal; with premium gas prices dipping 4.1 percent to $13.20/gal, and diesel prices decreasing 1.3 percent to $11.63/gal.
By municipality, Benque Viejo became the most expensive place to live, with a 2.2 percent inflation rate; San Pedro and Punta Gorda showed 2.1 percent inflation; and San Ignacio – 1.6 percent. Corozal showed a 1.3 percent increase, while Orange Walk prices rose 0.8 percent, and prices in Belmopan went up by 0.7 percent. Prices in Belize City are up by less than half a percentage point: 0.4%, and in Independence they are up by 0.1 percent. Dangriga reported ZERO inflation!
Inflation has been steadily trending down from a peak of 7.3 percent in August 2022, which dipped to under 3 percent in July 2023; but Belizeans’ overall confidence in the economy fell, as the Consumer Confidence Index fell in October this year to 45.2, as reported by the Statistics Institute of Belize, down from 45.7 in September.
The Institute began recording a Consumer Confidence Index, by randomly surveying consumers’ confidence in Belize’s economy last year through telephone interviews of consumers older than 18 years. People were asked about their willingness to buy new things: a house, a car, new appliances, and furniture, based on their confidence in the country’s economy.
A Consumer Confidence Index of more than 50 reflects a positive outlook on the economy, which stood at 50.5 in January this year, but has been steadily falling— declining to 46.8 in August 25, and falling to 45.7 in September. Curiously, when considered by district, Toledo had the highest confidence rating of 50.1 a month ago, while Stann Creek showed the highest confidence in October at 49.4; Corozal appears to have been the most pessimistic, with a 38.1 index in September, increasing only slightly to 39.7 in October.
