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The monthly cost of the basic food basket increased in september 2026 in both urban and rural areas, according to data from the Banco Central de Reserva (BCR). The rise was more pronounced in urban areas, where a family required an additional US$4.41 to cover these expenses, while in rural areas, the increase was US$1.40.
Basic food basket costs rose in both areas
In urban areas, the cost of the basic food basket went from US$264.74 in august to US$269.15 in september, an increase of US$4.41, or 1.67%. In rural areas, the cost rose from US$189.63 to US$191.04 during the same period, an increase of US$1.40, representing a 0.74% change.
These figures represent the monthly cost per family. The urban calculation is based on an average household size of 3.73 members, while the rural calculation uses a 4-member family as a reference. Consequently, these figures reflect different consumption patterns and should not be compared as if they applied to households of the same size.
Vegetables and eggs saw the largest price increases
Among the food items that became more expensive, vegetables saw the sharpest price increases in urban areas, followed by eggs, tortillas, fruits, and beans. Vegetable prices rose by 5.25%, while eggs increased by 2.34%, tortillas by 2.31%, fruits by 1.50%, and beans by 1.29%.
In rural areas, eggs saw the largest price increase, with a rise of 2.43%. Next were tortillas, with an increase of 2.28%; beans, with 1.33%; fruits, with 1.13%; and fats, with 0.98%.
However, some products recorded price decreases. In urban areas, the price of bread fell by 2.62%, and the price of rice dropped by 0.23%. In rural areas, the price of rice also saw a slight decline, of 0.16%. Meanwhile, the price of fluid milk remained unchanged in both areas.
The year-on-year variation was greater in the urban area
When comparing september 2026 with the same month in 2025, the difference was more pronounced in urban areas. The monthly cost of the basic food basket rose from US$250.79 to US$269.15, an increase of US$18.36 per family, or 7.32%.
In contrast, the rural basic food basket showed a minimal year-over-year change: it went from US$190.94 in september 2025 to US$191.04 in september 2026, representing an increase of US$0.10, or 0.05%.
Overall, data from the BCR indicate that the rising cost of the basic food basket was more significant in urban areas, in both month-over-month and year-over-year comparisons. While vegetables were among the food items with the sharpest price increases in cities, eggs saw the largest price hikes in rural areas.
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