And it is not only the cost of gasoline that is fueling the increases, according to the Wells Fargo Wasatch Front Cost of Living Report. Rent increases helped push up housing costs 2.2 percent in July. And health care costs also were up for the month, even if only a slight 0.1 percent.
Most spending categories, however, remained stable, and some declined, including clothing costs, which spurred by end-of-the-summer markdowns were down about 4 percent. Grocery costs also were down in July, by 1.1 percent.
But gasoline prices remain high. On Wednesday, the cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Utah reached another record high average, of $2.99, according to AAA Utah. That compares with $2.87 one month ago and $2.40 one year ago, AAA said.
Just a few weeks ago, Utah's fuel prices were among the lowest in the country. Now gasoline costs in Utah are more in line with the national average.
Those Utahns with landlords are facing even more bad news on the inflation front. "Rents are on their way up, no doubt about it," said Wells Fargo economist Kelly Matthews.
Rising interest rates are making it more difficult for people to buy homes, which is helping reduce vacancies in apartment complexes along the Wasatch Front. Fewer vacancies - combined with a fairly limited inventory of rental units - is giving landlords more power to raise rents.
In recent years, as interest rates have hovered near historic lows and many renters have purchased their own homes, landlords have had little power to increase rents.
On the national level, the Consumer Price Index jumped 0.4 percent in July, double the increase in June, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Excluding the volatile price categories of energy and food, though, the core CPI rose by just 0.2 percent, the smallest increase in five months.
Utahns are not alone in struggling with rental increases. The Labor Department said rising rents nationally are contributing to inflation.
Just as in Utah, economists say rising interest rates are a factor, but so is a limited supply of rentals.
