JEDDAH: The cost of living index in the Kingdom rose by 5.3 percent this year compared to last year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday, quoting a statement of the General Statistics Department.
"The cost of living in September 2011 rose by 5.3 percent compared to September 2010," the report said while attributing the increase to rise in prices in seven major categories.
During the same period, the goods and services sector rose by 11.8 percent, the rents, fuel and water sector by 7.9 percent, food and drinks 4.9 percent, and transport and communications 2.0 percent.
During the past year, prices in the education and recreation sector rose by 1.1 percent, clothing and textiles 0.6 percent, medical care 0.4 percent while the house furniture sector remained unchanged.
The cost of living in September reached 137.7 points compared to 136.5 points in August, registering an increase of 0.9 points within a month.
The department said prices rose in six major categories. In the goods and services sector prices have increased by 3.9 percent, in rents, fuel and water 0.6 percent, and food and drinks 0.4 percent.
In the house-furnishing sector, the department reported an increase of 0.2 percent while in education, clothing and recreation 0.1 percent.
"We noticed a fall in the index only in the transport and communications sector, and that was by 0.4 percent," the department said, adding that the prices in the medical care sector remained unchanged during September 2011.
© Arab News 2011
