Â
Fed by high food costs, consumer prices in August rose 1.79 percent, adding to Costa Rica’s steady inflationary rate that during the past year has surpassed 15 percent.
Â
Groceries and nonalcoholic beverages led the upward charge, rising 2.42 percent in August and 26.6 percent since last September, according to National Statistics and Census Institute (INEC).
Â
Transportation costs rose 3.19 percent in August, bringing their 12-month increase to just over 19 percent, while entertainment and cultural events rose 2 percent last month.
Â
The 15.4 percent increase in consumer prices between September 2007 and August was the largest for that period in more than 10 years.
Â
Between September 2006 and August 2007, consumer prices rose 8.56 percent, according to INEC.
 Â
Â
