Every month the government counts the prices of the things people buy — food, gas, rent, clothes and more. This count is called the Consumer Price Index, or CPI. The newest report covers June 2026, and it says prices are 3.5% higher than one year ago.
That number is the average for everything. Some things went up much faster. Some barely moved.
What went up the most
- Gasoline: up 26.7%. This is the big one. Trouble in the Middle East pushed oil prices up this spring, and that shows up at the pump.
- Plane tickets: up 26.5%. Airlines pay more for fuel, so flying costs more.
- Electricity: up 4.0%. Power bills keep creeping up in most states.
What stayed calmer
- Food: up 3.0%. Groceries rose 2.7%; eating out rose 3.4%.
- Rent and housing: up 3.3%. Still rising, but slower than in past years.
- Everything except food and energy: up 2.6%. Experts watch this "core" number to see the calm trend under the noisy one.
What this means for you
- If gas is eating your budget, the Cost of the Commute calculator shows what your drive really costs you a year.
- A raise below 3.5% this year is really a pay cut. Check it with The Real Raise.
- Money sitting in a no-interest account loses value at 3.5% a year right now. See Idle Cash, Priced.
Where these facts come from: US Bureau of Labor Statistics — June 2026 CPI. Facts checked July 2026. Numbers can change after publication.