Costa Rica (San José)
Official title
Indice de precios para los consumidores de ingresos medios y
bajos del área metropolitana de San José (Consumer Price Index
for Middle- and Low-Income Group Families in the
Metropolitan Area of San José).
Scope
The index is computed monthly and covers middle- and low-income
group families living in the metropolitan area of San José.
Official base
1975 = 100.
Source of weights
The weights and selected items were derived from a household expenditure
survey conducted in the metropolitan area of San José during 52 weeks in
1974, among a sample of 1,633 families with middle or low incomes,
earning up to 5,499 colones in 1974. The weights were adjusted to take
into account price changes between the survey period and 1975.
Weights and composition
| Major groups
| Number of items
| Weights
| Approximate number of price quotations
|
| Food
| 59 | 40.76 | 1845
|
| Housing:
| @ | @ | @
|
| Rent
| 1 | 12.30 | 106
|
| Fuel, light and telephone
| 7 | 6.62 | 13
|
| Cleaning materials, furniture and household equipment
| 24 | 8.19 | 510
|
| Clothing and footwear
| 34 | 10.02 | 336
|
| Miscellaneous:
|
| Personal and medical care
| 20 | 6.39 | 390
|
| Education and recreation
| 10 | 9.23 | 92
|
| Transport
| 3 | 6.50 | 28
|
| Total
| 158 | 100.00 | 3320
|
Household consumption expenditure
Consumption expenditure for the purpose of the index comprises
all goods and services purchased for consumption by the index
population. Credit purchase is considered only for the part paid
in the reference period. Excluded is the value of used goods traded in
to acquire new ones, but only the part actually paid is taken
into account. Home ownership, contributions to social insurance
and pension funds are excluded. Consumption from income in kind
is taken into account.
Method of data collection
Prices for most items are collected by agents each month from retail
outlets and service establishments. Prices for fresh fruit and
vegetables are ascertained twice a week. Discounts, sale
prices, black-market prices and second-hand purchases are
excluded.
Housing
Rent quotations are obtained quarterly. No account is taken of
owner-occupied dwellings.
Specification of varieties
Specifications for each item indicate major characteristics such
as quality, weight, appearance, etc.
Substitution, quality change, etc.
If the quality of an item changes or a new item appears on the
market, it is taken into account only when prices for two
consecutive months are available.
Seasonal items
No account is taken of seasonality. Quantities remain fixed
throughout the year.
Computation
The index is computed according to the Laspeyres formula as a
weighted arithmetic average with fixed base, using weights
corresponding to 1975.
Other information
Sub-group indices are published and item-indices can be made
available.
A household income and expenditure survey was conducted
in 1987-88 so as to up-date the base of the index.
Organisation and publication
Dirección General de Estadística y Censos: Indices de Precios
para los Consumidores de Ingresos Medios y Bajos del Area
Metropolitana de San José
(San José).