The cost of goods and services for Coloradans is relatively stable — for now — even as the Trump administration keeps up an erratic trade war.
Prices in metro Denver – which is the Colorado region tracked by the federal government and encompasses Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties – were up 2.2 percent in May compared to a year ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Costs rose roughly 1 percent from the last time they were calculated in March.
Some of the biggest businesses in the U.S., including Walmart and Ford, have said prices will go up because of the presidents tariffs. It’s not clear when that will happen. So far, that’s not really showing up in the monthly data collected by the government. Some of the steepest tariffs were paused in April. Still, import taxes are in place on goods from China, and on things like aluminum, steel and auto parts.
Prices for new vehicles in the Denver metro were up less than 1 percent from a year ago, government data show. Some things actually got cheaper. For instance, apparel prices are down 4 percent compared to this time last year.
Some prices are still going up. Restaurant meals are up 5 percent from a year ago. Costs in the other services category, a hodgepodge that includes everything from dry cleaning and manicures to funerals and parking, rose nearly 20 percent from last year.
