New Year price check

The new year begins with a number of price increases, although users of the butano gas bottles can heave a sigh of relief as the price of those has been frozen for the first quarter at a maximum of €15.09 for a 12.5 litre bottle.

Toll road charges are going up by an average of 3.3%, above the rate of inflation and the biggest rise since 2009. It is also more than double the increase in 2011 which was 1.44%.

The cost of a postage stamp for national letters and postcards will rise by 2.86%, also above the rate of inflation, to make a letter up to 20 grams cost €0.36, one cent more than last year.

The tax on hydrocarbons for both commercial passenger and freight traffic will rise by 2.8 cents per litre, meaning increased tax revenue of 9.27%.

The Euribor, the main rate used for the calculation of mortgages in Spain, has been rising which means that mortgage repayments will increase. An average mortgage of €120,000 over 20 years at the Euribor plus 1% will mean an average increase of €360 per year.

Telephone line rental charges have also once again been frozen and haven’t increased since 2008. However, as from the summer, the telecommunications watchdog is considering plans to ‘liberalise’ these rates.

The cost of natural gas (TUR) will increase by an average of 0.5%, meaning an extra monthly cost of around €0.37.

Electricity prices (TUR) have been frozen for the first quarter of 2012. Although one of the components used in the formula for calculating electricity became 10% cheaper, the government has decided to raise the price of the second component by 11%, so the price is frozen.

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