The start of 2023 will be even more difficult for many families, since the high cost of living they had to face during 2022 –due to an inflation of 13.12 percent– A cascade of increases in different sectors will be added to it. Several of them have been in force since January 1 and others will come into force as of today.
For example, the rates of parking lots, mass public transport and taxis they will rise the same as inflation, as will the costs of towing and yard services.
(Also read: The most hit and those who benefited from the recording of 2022)
Another blow to the pocket will come from the rental side, which may increase up to 13.12 percent. Although it will not be automatically due to the change of year, but the landlords must wait until the contract fulfills 12 months of commitment or from the last renewal.
Around mid-January, Invías is also expected to announce the new rates for the 30 tolls that it has for its cargo in the national territory. They should rise the same as inflation, but the Minister of Transportation, Guillermo Reyes, said in recent days that more than 80 percent of the tolls are not being increased in price.
Increases tied to the UVT
In order not to put more pressure on inflation that closed 2022 as the highest since March 1999, the Ministry of Finance decided to de-index the minimum wage -which up 16 percent by 2023– The increases in various services that will now be tied to the Tax Value Unit (UVT), which for this year rose 11.6 percent and the Dian set it at 42,412 pesos.
This is the case of the price of clinical laboratory tests and procedures, radiology, urology, cardiology, ophthalmology, oncology and neurology, among other services in the health sector.
The UVT was also indexed the Coverage of medical services charged to Soat. On the part of the insurers it will be 701.68 UVT, but if a vehicle that is part of the beneficiaries with the 50 percent discount on the price of this policy is involved in the traffic accident, it will be 263.13 UVT. For this last point, the coverage that will be assumed by the Resource Administrator of the General System of Social Security in Health (Adres) will be between 263.13 and 701.68 UVT.
(Also read: Colombia closed 2022 with the third highest explosion in Latin America)
For the categories of vehicles that did not have access to the Soat discount that began to apply since last December, The purchase of this insurance will be 11.7 percent more expensive during this year.
In addition, the limits that apply to people who must declare income in 2023 for the income, purchases, investments and assets they had in the taxable year 2022 will rise, since everything is calculated in UVT.
Since January 2020, the sanctions, fines, rates, fees and stamps that were established based on the past minimum wage to be calculated with its equivalent in UVT, as well as the moderator fees and copayments of the EPS which, of course, also went up in price with the beginning of the year.
As for the moderating fees, they remained at 4,100 pesos for those who earned less than two minimum wages; at 16,400 pesos for those who earn between two and five salaries and at 43,000 pesos for those who receive more than five minimum wages per month.
(Also read: How to save money with record inflation and the new rises of 2023?)
more expensive fuels
January also started with more expensive fuel prices. On the gasoline side, It went up to 400 pesos in several cities of the countrydouble what has been increasing each month since last October in order to reduce the fiscal gap that the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund (FEPC) currently has.
And although the Government had promised that diesel would be stable until June 2023, it was inevitable raise the cost of the gallon 57 pesoson average, due to legal regulations and regular updates that must be done every beginning of the year.
Other hikes
To the typical increases at the beginning of the year are also added those that come due to the end of some tax benefits. For example, from January 1st VAT on air tickets increased from 5 to 19 percent, while for accommodation, lodging and tourist services the full VAT rate returned.
Eating away from home will also be more expensive because businesses that are exclusively dedicated to spending food and beverages, and that are registered in the Simple Taxation Regime (RST), must once again collect the consumption tax, which is 8 percent.
Clothes are not spared either, since the Government establish a 40 percent ad valorem tariff on clothing imports that arrives from countries with which Colombia does not have current trade agreements. Additionally, the 35 percent tariff on footwear that is imported for a value less than or equal to the thresholds established between 6 and 10 dollars will be reinforced for three years – until December 31, 2025.
LINA QUIROGA BLONDE
deiqui@eltiempo.com
