However, despite these gains, the YoY increase in a Colombo household’s monthly coconut bill passed the two thousand rupee mark for the first time, to record a value of Rs 2,219.78 last month. From July 2024 to last month (February 2025), comprising a total of eight consecutive months, the YoY increase in a Colombo household’s coconut bill has been in at least record three-digit values during the review period.

Consequently, in the eight consecutive months, from July 2024 to last month (February 2025), a Colombo household’s coconut bill, YoY has increased by Rs 158.87 (July 2024), Rs 339.56 (August), Rs 571.29 (September), Rs 210.60 (October), Rs 344.48 (November), Rs 1,230.55 (December), Rs 1,537.81 (January 2025) and Rs 2,219.78, respectively. Similarly, in the eight months from July 2024 to February 2025, the YoY increase in a Colombo household’s rice bill has been continuously in record three-digit values in the reference period, with last month’s increase alone being by Rs 223.42.

In the eight consecutive months from July 2024 to February 2025, a Colombo household’s rice bill, YoY has increased by Rs 914.16 (July 2024), Rs 881.04 (August), Rs 578.49 (September), Rs 468.05 (October), Rs 239.03 (November), Rs 566.41 (December), Rs 666.66 (January 2025) and Rs 223.42 (February 2025), respectively.

Further, two of their other food costs which rose, YoY, to last month in triple-digit terms were their coconut oil bill, YoY to last month rising by Rs 320.40 and their tamarind bill YoY to last month increasing by Rs 220.10, respectively.

CSD also said that an average Colombo household’s education costs YoY to last month increased by Rs 463.24. Among other non-food items whose prices also increased in triple-digit terms YoY to last month were their health bill, up Rs 389.49; clothing and footwear bill, up YoY to Rs 237.24 last month; cost of ‘miscellaneous good and services’ expenses increased by Rs 215.31, YoY to last month and a Colombo household’s ‘alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotic’ bill, YoY increased by Rs 177.53 last month; respectively.

Meanwhile, last month’s deflation was led by non-food deflation accelerating for the second consecutive month, this time to 6.1 per cent YoY. However, food deflation decelerated to 0.2 per cent, YoY to last month. Consequently, an average Colombo household’s expenditure for all items purchased shrank by Rs 7,688.15.22 YoY to last month.