Consumers paid 1.9 per cent more in January than they did a year before for goods and services.

And the level of inflation rose by 0.3 of a percentage point to 1.9 per cent between December last year and the first month of 2017.

The cost of the education, recreation, entertainment and reading sector was the biggest contributor to the year-on-year increase, going up 4 per cent, fuelled by increases in the cost of tuition in Bermuda and overseas.

The cost of health and personal care went up 3.3 per cent, while rent rose 1.4 per cent.

The cost of fuel and power fell for the fourth consecutive month in January, down 2.3 per cent, while the fuel adjustment rate decreased 7 per cent month over month.

The food sector, after two months of decline, went up two per cent in the first month of the year.

Government statisticians said that special offers in December returned to their normal prices, while non-alcoholic drinks went up 10.2 per cent, as did cookies.

Transport and foreign travel dropped by 1.2 per cent in January after a 1.3 increase in December.

The average cost of an airfare fell by 7.8 cent.

But the price of auxiliary and motorcycles, as well as the cost of repair and maintenance, increased 1.6 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively.

The clothing and footwear sector went up 1.2 per cent, with the average cost of women’s clothing going up 0.5 per cent.

The cost of tobacco and liquor went up 0.8 per cent in January after a 0.4 fall in December last year. The average cost of spirits and wine went up 2.8 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.

Month on month, the education, recreation, entertainment and reading sector was unchanged in January as was the rent sector.

The cost of household goods, services and supplies over the same period was also static, for the third month on a row.