Compared to May of 2017, cost went up further for food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.90 percent compared to 0.34 percent in May); housing & utilities (14.17 percent compared to 13.73 percent); transport (7.47 percent compared to 7.01 percent) and furnishings and household equipment (4.64 percent compared to 4.51 percent). Additionally, prices rose faster for communications (0.85 percent compared to 0.82 percent); education (5.11 percent compared to 5.07 percent); health (4.22 percent compared to 3.98 percent) and alcoholic beverages & tobacco (2.77 percent compared to 2.25 percent). In contrast, cost eased for clothing & footwear (4.17 percent compared to 4.27 percent); restaurants & hotels (4.77 percent compared to 4.92 percent); miscellanous goods & services (4.12 percent compared to 4.19 percent) and recreation & culture (1.52 percent compared to 1.53 percent).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices dropped 0.89 percent, after a 0.97 percent increase May. Cost declined for food & non-alcoholic beverages (-2.2 percent compared to 1.35 percent), mostly due to a fall in prices of some foodstuffs outweighed, namely gren maize (-25.85 percent), onions (-18.20 percent) and potatoes (-15.08 percent). Also, prices slowed for housing & utilities (0.52 percent compared to 1.79 percent), driven by electricity charges (-4.99 percent). Meanwhile, cost of transport advanced at a faster pace (0.37 percent compared to 0.10 percent), boosted by higher prices of petrol and diesel.