The highly anticipated school holidays are finally here in Brazil. With the holidays also came the price hike in the most sought-after products and services for the period. Prices leaped 4.78% between July 2016 and June 2017, remaining above the inflation accrued in the same period (3.44%), according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculated by FGV’s Brazilian Institute of Economics (IBRE).

The survey, conducted by IPC coordinator and economist André Braz, shows that most of the highlighted items were more expensive compared to last year, including popcorn corn (14.96%), ready-made cake (13.51%), and bread (11.21%). Some increased even more, such as airfares (15.44%), theater (14.85%), and musical performance (12.07%).

Despite the increases, the upsurge in food costs remained under inflation, increasing 0.63% over the past 12 months. Among food items, the 12.54% drop recorded in the prices of fruit is the main contributor to the smaller rates in this group.

According to André Braz, there are good alternatives to work around such pricier items and enjoy the period while saving money. “Some cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, have many low-cost leisure areas, such as beaches, squares, museums, and zoos. These types of activities are cheaper and still keep the kids entertained. It is also worth looking for discounts on tickets to the theater, performances, and other cultural attractions”, he said.

The complete study is available here, in Portuguese.