8% Surge in Transport Costs Pushes April Inflation Higher

Transportation costs surged 8 percent over the past year and 4.2 percent in a single month, helping push Belize's inflation rate to 2.9 percent in April as motorists and consumers absorbed sharp increases in fuel prices.

New figures released by the Statistical Institute of Belize show that transportation was the largest contributor to inflation during the month, outpacing all other major spending categories. The increase was driven by higher prices for diesel, regular gasoline and premium gasoline, with diesel recording the most dramatic jump.

The average price of diesel climbed from $11.66 per gallon in April 2025 to $14.68 in April 2026, a 26 percent increase. Regular gasoline rose 15.7 percent over the same period, while premium gasoline increased by 11 percent.

The upward pressure did not stop there. Between March and April alone, transport costs rose by 4.2 percent as diesel prices increased by $2.42 per gallon in just one month. Premium gasoline rose by $0.88 per gallon and regular gasoline by $0.82.

The transport sector's outsized increase carried broad implications for consumers because fuel costs influence the movement of goods throughout the economy. The SIB reported that transport, food and housing-related expenses together accounted for more than three-quarters of the overall rise in consumer prices recorded during April.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased by 2.6 percent compared to a year earlier. Consumers paid more for meats, sugar, coffee, soft drinks and several fresh fruits. Sugar recorded one of the steepest increases among commonly purchased food items, rising by more than 19 percent over the year.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 2 percent. The increase reflected higher electricity tariffs and rising cooking gas costs. The average price of a 100-pound cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas increased from $127.63 to $136.47 over the year.

Overall, Belize's Consumer Price Index rose from 119.6 in April 2025 to 123.2 in April 2026, resulting in a national inflation rate of 2.9 percent.

Orange Walk Town experienced the highest inflation rate among municipalities at 4.2 percent, while Belize City recorded the lowest increase at 2.4 percent.

For the first four months of 2026, inflation averaged 1.4 percent compared to the same period last year. Food, housing, transportation, health care and restaurant services all recorded increases, while information and communication costs declined.