Photo description: A woman with face mask works in a supermarket in Kralendijk

How have prices in the Caribbean Netherlands developed?

Inflation, the annual rate of change of the consumer price index, has been rising in the Caribbean Netherlands since the beginning of 2021. Among the three islands, Bonaire has seen the highest inflation rate and St Eustatius the lowest.

CPI, annual rate of change ( year-on-year % change)
Year Quarter Bonaire St Eustatius Saba
2017 Q1, 2017 0.1 1.1 -1.0
2017 Q2, 2017 0.4 2.6 -1.0
2017 Q3, 2017 0.7 2.2 -1.3
2017 Q4, 2017 1.1 1.8 2.4
2018 Q1, 2018 3.9 2.0 2.9
2018 Q2, 2018 3.0 1.2 3.2
2018 Q3, 2018 3.5 1.1 4.4
2018 Q4, 2018 3.4 1.1 0.0
2019 Q1, 2019 0.7 0.7 0.6
2019 Q2, 2019 1.1 0.4 0.5
2019 Q3, 2019 1.2 0.7 0.3
2019 Q4, 2019 2.2 1.0 0.8
2020 Q1, 2020 1.0 1.2 0.4
2020 Q2, 2020 -1.0 -0.8 -0.8
2020 Q3, 2020 -4.8 -3.3 -1.6
2020 Q4, 2020 -5.2 -3.2 -0.8
2021 Q1, 2021 -3.2 -4.1 -1.3
2021 Q2, 2021 0.3 -1.2 1.0
2021 Q3, 2021 4.3 2.4 3.2
2021 Q4, 2021 5.7 2.7 4.0
2022* Q1, 2022* 9.9 4.9 6.7
* Provisional figures

On Bonaire, inflation surged from –3.2 percent in Q1 2021 to 9.2 percent in Q1 2022. Inflation on St Eustatius rose from –4.1 to 4.9 percent, while on Saba, the inflation rate went up from –1.3 to 6.7 percent.

In 2020, the three islands had low inflation, mainly thanks to government subsidies on electricity, water and telecommunications (relief measures in the context of the coronavirus epidemic). The relief measures were in place during most of 2021. The CPI increases in 2021 were largely due to rising energy prices.

Housing, water and energy prices ( year-on-year % change)
Year Quarter Bonaire St Eustatius Saba
2017 Q1, 2017 -2.9 0.4 -0.2
2017 Q2, 2017 -1.6 1.6 -0.4
2017 Q3, 2017 -1.1 -1.0 1.1
2017 Q4, 2017 0.6 -1.6 7.9
2018 Q1, 2018 7.6 -1.7 8.4
2018 Q2, 2018 5.5 -1.8 9.6
2018 Q3, 2018 8.9 2.8 10.3
2018 Q4, 2018 8.8 2.8 2.9
2019 Q1, 2019 2.4 1.7 2.0
2019 Q2, 2019 4.5 1.2 1.3
2019 Q3, 2019 1.1 -0.6 -1.8
2019 Q4, 2019 1.7 -0.4 -1.5
2020 Q1, 2020 -4.2 1.3 -1.5
2020 Q2, 2020 -8.4 -2.4 -5.0
2020 Q3, 2020 -12.8 -9.8 -9.0
2020 Q4, 2020 -12.9 -10.4 -8.6
2021 Q1, 2021 -5.9 -8.5 -6.8
2021 Q2, 2021 0.8 -4.1 -2.1
2021 Q3, 2021 7.5 7.6 6.4
2021 Q4, 2021 10.7 9.1 7.7
2022* Q1, 2022* 24.4 10.7 12.0
* Provisional figures

Prices of transportation services and petrol

Prices of transportation include for example cars, fuels and airfares. In Q1 2022, transportation was 8.2 percent more expensive on Bonaire year on year; for Saba the increase was 10.3 percent and for St Eustatius 8.4 percent.

10.3% rise in transportation prices on Saba in 2021 Buitenvorm Binnenvorm

Prices of petrol and diesel, which have a major impact on transportation prices, have increased steadily from the beginning of 2021 onwards. On Bonaire, petrol was 35 percent more expensive in Q1 2022 year on year; for St Eustatius this was 30 percent and for Saba 29 percent.

Transportation prices ( year-on-year % change)
Year Quarter Bonaire St Eustatius Saba
2017 Q1, 2017 4.2 5.1 0.7
2017 Q2, 2017 4.2 6.5 0.2
2017 Q3, 2017 2.1 7.9 -0.7
2017 Q4, 2017 4.6 6.1 -2.4
2018 Q1, 2018 4.0 5.3 -2.5
2018 Q2, 2018 4.0 3.7 -1.0
2018 Q3, 2018 5.6 1.5 0.0
2018 Q4, 2018 3.8 1.3 1.5
2019 Q1, 2019 1.1 1.5 4.5
2019 Q2, 2019 1.8 1.9 3.5
2019 Q3, 2019 3.0 1.7 5.3
2019 Q4, 2019 5.7 3.3 5.2
2020 Q1, 2020 8.5 2.7 2.2
2020 Q2, 2020 6.5 -0.8 1.5
2020 Q3, 2020 -3.3 -1.5 -1.1
2020 Q4, 2020 -5.4 -2.3 -2.7
2021 Q1, 2021 -5.3 -3.0 -1.6
2021 Q2, 2021 -1.7 4.5 4.2
2021 Q3, 2021 7.1 6.9 7.4
2021 Q4, 2021 8.5 7.9 10.8
2022* Q1, 2022* 8.2 8.4 10.3
* Provisional figures

Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages

Food prices have been increasing in the Caribbean Netherlands since Q1 2021 and the rate of change is very similar among the three islands. On Bonaire, food was 4.9 percent more expensive in Q1 2022 than one year previously. For St Eustatius and Saba this was 4.7 percent.

Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages ( year-on-year % change)
Year Quarter Bonaire St Eustatius Saba
2017 Q1, 2017 -0.8 0.6 -4.2
2017 Q2, 2017 -0.7 3.4 -4.7
2017 Q3, 2017 0.4 7.4 -2.6
2017 Q4, 2017 -0.3 6.5 1.6
2018 Q1, 2018 3.5 7.0 2.0
2018 Q2, 2018 2.5 6.1 1.8
2018 Q3, 2018 0.7 -0.3 2.9
2018 Q4, 2018 1.2 -0.5 -2.0
2019 Q1, 2019 -0.3 -1.0 1.9
2019 Q2, 2019 2.6 -2.4 2.2
2019 Q3, 2019 4.2 -0.8 2.0
2019 Q4, 2019 4.6 0.4 1.3
2020 Q1, 2020 3.4 0.0 0.7
2020 Q2, 2020 1.0 1.0 1.7
2020 Q3, 2020 0.2 1.2 1.7
2020 Q4, 2020 1.0 2.5 3.5
2021 Q1, 2021 1.3 1.9 2.0
2021 Q2, 2021 2.8 1.8 1.9
2021 Q3, 2021 3.5 2.9 2.9
2021 Q4, 2021 3.4 3.2 3.2
2022* Q1, 2022* 4.9 4.7 4.7
* Provisional figures

More information about the consumer price index (CPI)

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* provisional figure
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(between two numbers) inclusive
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2016–2017 2016 to 2017 inclusive
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CBS in the Caribbean Netherlands

Statistics Netherlands opened an office on Bonaire in 2010. The Bonaire office is responsible for all statistics referring to the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands: Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, compiling statistics about prices, population, labour, income, the economy, tourism and trade.

Publications can be found in the dossier Caribbean Netherlands.

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