Using the methodology of the Council for Community and Economic Research (hereinafter, C2ER), a non-profit professional organization dedicated to community and economic development research, the Institute of Statistics is responsible for collecting prices of goods and services within the categories of grocery items, housing, transportation, utilities, and miscellaneous. The data is sent to C2ER, which calculates the average prices and indices for each category, allowing for cost comparisons with the equivalent cost in the United States. Finally, the Cost of Living Index (COLI), which C2ER has been preparing since 1968 for over 300 urban areas in the United States, and which Puerto Rico joined in the second quarter of 2014. The price publication for users is done through a cost of living calculator, which allows comparing the cost of living in Puerto Rico versus that of another city in the United States and vice versa. The Puerto Rico Cost of Living Index includes average prices three times a year for the following 56 product categories: t-bone steak, ground beef, sausage, frying chicken, canned light tuna chunks, whole milk, eggs, margarine, parmesan cheese, potatoes, bananas, lettuce, specialty bread, orange juice, coffee, sugar, corn flake cereal, green peas, peach, facial tissues, dishwashing detergent, canola oil, frozen food, whole kernel frozen corn, french fries, soda, apartment rent, housing price, total energy, telephone, tire balancing, gasoline, optometrist visit, doctor visit, dentist visit, ibuprofen, Lipitor, hamburger, pizza, fried chicken, men's haircut, beauty salon (women's haircut with wash and dry), toothpaste, shampoo, dry cleaning, men's dress shirt, boys' jeans, women's pants, appliance repair, newspaper, movie, bowling, tennis balls, veterinary services, beer, and wine.

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Questionnaire for collecting prices of medical visits and dentist visits.