A meat stall at a market (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The South Eastern regionwas ranked as the most expensive in Vietnam in 2016, according to the GeneralStatistics Office (GSO).
In the year, four southeastern provinces raised educationservice prices by 4.36 percent – 35.64 percent.
Two localities, namely Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong province, increasedhealthcare service prices by 44.47 percent and 64.07 percent respectively.
The GSO’s Price Statistics Department said mostof commodities in the region such as garment-textile, housing and constructionmaterial, transport, posts and telecommunication have average price higher from0.3 percent to 7.57 percent.
The Spatial Cost of Living Index (SCOLI) in theregion was estimated at 101.73 percent, while that in the Red River Delta was100 percent.
The northern midland and mountainous region camesecond in SCOLI (101.33 percent).In 2016, the region saw the highest price hikeof 6.9 percent in healthcare services.
The Mekong Delta still has the lowest SCOLI from2014 to now (98.29 percent).
Other expensive regions include the CentralHighlands and the north central and central coastal region with the respectiveSCOLI of 101.11 percent and 100.32 percent.
Head of the GSO Nguyen Bich Lam said the SCOLI isa national statistic criterion which reflects trends and fluctuations of livingcost among regions and localities in a certain period, normally in one year.
The index aims to serve the country’ssocio-economic development policy making and evaluation of implementingpolicies on poverty reduction and financial support.-VNA
VNA
