Overall prices of consumer goods in the West are going up — and that’s because the cost of rent and clothing are going up more than other costs of living are going down.
The Western Region Consumer Price Index’s August update was released Friday, and overall, it’s up last month and this year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, August is the tenth month in a row that overall prices increased. The reason this month — shelter and clothing costs are still rising, up 5 percent and 1.3 percent from a year ago.
Declining, though, is the cost of food and the cost of gasoline. Food at home is down about 0.5 percent and gas is down 5.2 percent, also noticed in the Valley. Data includes 13 Western U.S. states.
Arizona-specific information comes out later this week.
