In brief

• The costs of transport increased by 2.0 percent in April compared with March 2026 and were 8.5 percent higher than April 2025.
• The cost of diesel oil increased by 4.0 percent in April compared with March 2026 and was 42.6 percent higher than April 2025.
• The cost of electricity decreased by 6.3 percent in April compared with March 2026 and was 0.3 percent lower than April 2025.
• Interest costs increased by 2.0 percent in April compared with March 2026 but were 3.2 percent lower than April 2025.

Changes in the last month

The Construction Cost Index for multi-dwelling buildings increased by 0.8 percent between March and April 2026. This was due to the fact that the contractors’ costs rose by 0.7 percent, and the construction clients’ cost rose by 1.2 percent. These two groups account for 82 percent and 18 percent, respectively, of the Construction Cost Index.

Costs in the group ‘transport, fuel and electricity’ increased by 0.7 percent. Within that group, the cost of diesel oil and transport rose by 4.0 and 2.0 percent respectively, while the cost of electricity fell by 6.3 percent. Contractors’ overhead costs increased by 1.7 percent, while the costs of machinery and ‘wages and salaries’ were unchanged or deceased by up to 0.1 percent.

Contractors’ costs for building materials increased by 0.9 percent in April 2026. Among the building material groups, the costs of other building materials rose the most by 2.9 percent. The costs of ‘iron and steel’ and materials for painting rose by 2.0 and 1.2 percent respectively. The costs of floor materials and white goods both fell, by 0.4 and 0.1 percent respectively. The remaining material costs increased by up to 1.0 percent between March and April 2026.

Construction clients’ costs increased by 1.2 percent in April 2026. Construction clients’ costs consist of interest and credit costs, costs for plans, and central administration. The increase in construction clients’ costs was mainly due to higher costs of interests and cost of official employee wages.

Changes in the last year

The Construction Cost Index for multi-dwelling buildings increased by 2.4 percent between April 2025 and April 2026. Contractors’ costs rose by 2.9 percent, which led to an upward contribution to the Construction Cost Index of 2.3 percentage points. Construction clients’ costs increased by 0.5 percent.

Contractors’ costs for ‘wages and salaries’ and overhead costs increased by 3.1 percent and 4.5 percent respectively, while costs for machinery decreased by 0.1 percent between April 2025 and April 2026. The costs for ‘transport, fuel and electricity’ increased by 9.9 percent compared to April 2025. Within this group the costs of diesel oil and transport increased by 42.6 and 8.5 percent, respectively, while cost of electricity decreased by 0.3 percent

Contractors’ costs for building materials increased by 1.8 percent between April 2025 and April 2026. Among the building material groups, the costs of painting materials rose the most by 4.3 percent. Subsequently, concrete products and pluming materials increased by 2.8 and 2.6 percent respectively. All other material groups were unchanged or increased by up to 1.8 percent.

Construction clients’ costs increased by 0.5 percent. Among the construction clients’ costs, the interest costs decreased by 3.2 percent, while the costs for official employee wages, according to collective agreements, increased by 6.7 percent. The remaining costs rose by between 0.9 and 2.6 percent.