Macau's Composite Consumer price Index (CPI) rose 1.04 percent year on year in 2022, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) has announced.
According to a DSEC statement on Friday, last year's increase was driven by domestic helpers' higher wages, the increasing cost of eating out and electricity, as well rising prices of gasoline and fruit.
The CPI growth was partially offset by lower rentals for residential units falling charges for telecommunications services and falling prices of pork.
The bureau pointed out that the price indices of Household Furnishings & Services (+11.23 percent) and Transport (+5.84 percent) rose notably, while the Communication index fell 9.39 percent.
According to the statement, the Composite CPI aims to reflect the impact of price changes on Macau's households in general.
In 2021 and 2020, Macau's Composite CPI rose 0.03 percent and 0.81 percent year on year respectively, according to DSEC data.
In 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Macau's economy, the Composite CPI increased 2.75 percent year on year.
Macau confirmed its first COVID-19 case on January 22, 2020. The government has eased most of the pandemic-related curbs since early last month.
