August Means More
Increases In Living
Costs
August in Costa Rica is
"mes de la madre", with
Mother's Day on the 15th
and all types of
activities honouring
mothers and special
retail offers geared for
gifts for mother.
However, August will
also be the month of
increases.
In August, the latest
round of gasoline prices
increases will take
effect, as well as taxi
and bus fares will go
up, though none have yet
to receive approval by
the Autoridad Reguladora
de los Servicios
Públicos (Aresep), no
one doubts that the
increases will not be
granted.
Taxis have made a
request for between a
10% and 20% hike, bus
fares will go up between
¢25 and ¢50 colones,
depending on the route.
The state refinery
Recope, is waiting on
the approval of an
increase of ¢15 and ¢16
to gasoline prices that
will set another round
of record prices, while
it is working on making
a request for an
additional ¢24 colones
that it is legally
allowed to do on the
second Friday of every
month.
In August, the price of
a two kilo bag of rice
will also increase by
¢200 colones.
Many Costa Ricans are
greatly concerned in the
face of all the increase
because salaries aren't
keeping up with the cost
of living.
Many have already opted
to keep the family car
parked, using public
transportation to and
from work and taking out
the car only on
weekends, when there is
disposable income
available. Others have
expressed concern that
they will have to cut
out some basic
necessities just to make
ends meet.
"Socarse la faja"
(tighten the belt) is
the action expressed by
many to the present
conditions, where Costa
Ricans have now to focus
more on reducing
expenses and begin
saving, something that
has been foreign to many
in the last several
years of economic
growth.
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