Housing costs in Antigua and Barbuda continued to increase in July 2026, with rents rising alongside sharply higher utility expenses, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported that the

Actual Rentals for Housing index increased 2%

over the 12 months ending July.

The increase came as the broader

Housing,

Water

, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels index climbed 7.6% year-on-year

, highlighting growing costs associated with maintaining a household.

Utility expenses recorded much steeper increases than rents. The

Electricity index surged 42.9%

over the 12-month period, while the overall

Energy index increased 20.6%

.

The Statistics Division noted the significance of the increases because housing and utilities represent essential household expenses.

The higher housing-related costs formed part of a wider increase in consumer prices across Antigua and Barbuda. Headline inflation stood at

4.4% in July 2026

, while the index excluding food and energy increased 4.1%.

The figures show that although rental costs increased relatively moderately at 2%, households faced substantially greater price pressures from electricity and other energy-related expenses during the same period.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Housing Rents Rise 2% as Utility Costs Push Living Expenses Higher in Antigua and Barbuda.