Year-on-year inflation in the Girona regions stood at 3.4% in March, with a monthly rebound of 1.2% that especially pressures spending linked to tourism, energy, and basic supplies. The increase places Girona above the Catalan figure, which closed the month at 3.1%, and in line with the Spanish average, also 3.4%.
The advance of prices in the demarcation was strongly noted in several sections of habitual consumption. Accommodation services rose 4.3% in a single month and tourist packages 4.2%, while the use of private vehicles increased 7% compared to February. To this was added the increase in the cost of electricity, gas and other fuels, which grew 3% monthly and already accumulate a year-on-year rise of 4.8%.
Tourism, energy and mobility push the index
March left a generalized rise in items very linked to the start of the high season and to displacement costs. In Catalonia, the increase in inflation is related to the rising cost of fuels derived from the war in Iran. That context also moved to Girona, where the rise in prices affected both travel and domestic energy consumption.
Another of the blocks with notable increases was that of clothing and footwear, with monthly increases exceeding 5%. Alcoholic beverages also rose, by 1.1% compared to the previous month. In contrast, food registered a slight decrease of 0.2% in March, although the cost of the shopping basket is still 2.1% higher than a year ago in the demarcation.
Water and hospital services also rise
Basic supplies maintained their upward trend. The water bill increased by 1.0% in March and raised the year-on-year price increase to 11.1%, one of the most intense upturns in the price chart. Hospital services, for their part, accumulate an increase of 2.9% in the last year.
The Girona figure exceeds Catalonia's inflation by three tenths, which stood at 3.1% monthly year-on-year after a variation of 1.1% in March. At the state level, the CPI reached 3.4%. Underlying inflation, which excludes energy and fresh food, rose to 2.7% in Catalonia and to 2.9% in Spain.
The evolution of March leaves a scenario of rising prices in the Girona regions, with special incidence on expenses associated with mobility, energy, and tourist activity, at a time when the cost of supplies and various basic services continues to gain weight in the domestic economy.