A. M. 
Prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 0.32% in february 2026 compared to january of the same year, according to data published by the Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador (BCR). The index for this category rose from 155.78 points in january to 156.28 points in february, reflecting adjustments in the cost of products included in the basic household consumption basket.
This trend is part of the monthly evolution of the Índice de Precios al Consumidor (IPC), an indicator that measures how the prices of goods and services change in the country and is used to analyze variations in the cost of living.
Food price increase in the IPC
The increase in the food and non-alcoholic beverages category occurred within a context where the overall IPC showed a monthly variation of 0.46% in february 2016 compared to january, rising from 131 to 131.6 points.
Within the index structure, the food category is one of the most relevant due to its weight in household spending. For this reason, any variation in the prices of these products can directly influence the behavior of the overall indicator.
Other sectors with increases
In addition to food and non-alcoholic beverages, other categories also registered increases during february.
The restaurant and hotel sector increased by 0.10%, rising from 165.8 points in january to 165.97 points in february, reflecting variations in prices associated with food services outside the home and activities related to lodging.
Likewise, the miscellaneous goods and services category saw a 0.45% increase, rising from 129.93 to 130.51 points. This category includes products and services related to personal care and other everyday household expenses.
Meanwhile, the transportation sector showed one of the largest increases of the month, with a 2.65% rise, from 109.08 points in january to 111.98 points in february.
Increases were also observed in health, which rose 0.30% from 116.17 to 116.52 points, and in recreation and culture, which registered a 0.35% increase, from 93.37 to 93.69 points.
Sectors with decreases
Although several categories showed increases, some sectors registered reductions during the same period.
The alcoholic beverages and tobacco sector saw a decrease of 0.54%, falling from 178.29 points in january to 177.33 points in february.
Similarly, clothing and footwear registered a slight reduction of 0.06%, dropping from 100.21 to 100.15 points. The furniture, household goods, and home maintenance sector also decreased by 0.05%, falling from 111.83 to 111.77 points.
Categories that remained unchanged
Among the divisions analyzed by the index, the education sector showed no variation during the period, remaining at 117.07 points in both january and february of 2026.
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