Living cost in Dhaka rose 8.44% in 2017

Living cost rose by 8.44 percent in Dhaka in 2017 because of hike in prices of rice, vegetables, house rents, electricity, gas as well as other services, said Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

Consumers Association of Bangladesh President Ghulam Rahman unveiling an annual report on cost of living in the capital at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. Photo: Sohel Parvez

The latest spike was higher than in 2016 when cost of living rose by 6.47 percent and cost of services went up by 5.81 percent respectively.

The consumers’ representative body said it has not included expenses on education, health and real transport in its estimate.

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The CAB prepared the report by collecting price data from 15 markets in Dhaka on 114 food items and 22 products for daily usage. It also took into account the cost of 14 services including gas, electricity and water to prepare the report.

Food prices particularly rice soared at higher rate in 2017 than the previous year, said CAB President Ghulam Rahman at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), unveiling CAB’s annual report on cost of living in Dhaka.

In 2017, cost of services including electricity, gas and water increased by 7.17 percent compared to the figures from 2016, said CAB.

House rents went up by 8.13 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year, it added.