In brief

• The costs of electricity increased by 0.5 percent in February compared with January 2026 and were 4.3 percent higher than February 2025.
• The cost of diesel oil increased by 1.2 percent in February compared with January 2026 but were 9.2 percent lower than February 2025.
• Interest costs decreased by 1.2 percent in February compared with January 2026 and were 6.2 percent lower than February 2025.

Changes in the last month

The Construction Cost Index for multi-dwelling buildings were unchanged between January and February 2026. This was due to the fact that the contractors’ costs rose by 0.2 percent, while the construction clients’ fell by 0.4 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 0.4 percent. Within that group, the cost of diesel oil rose by 1.2 percent, the cost of electricity rose by 0.5 percent and transport rose by 0.3 percent. Contractors’ overhead costs and the costs of machinery both increased by 0.1 percent, while the costs of wages and salaries were unchanged.

Contractors’ costs for building materials increased by 0.2 percent in February 2026. Among the building material groups, the costs of plumbing products rose the most by 1.5 percent. The costs of material for painting and electric material both rose by 1.1 percent. The costs of wood products, iron and steel and other material groups fell by between 0.5 and 0.7 percent. The remaining material costs were unchanged or increased slightly between January and February 2026.

Construction clients’ costs decreased by 0.4 percent in February 2026. Construction clients’ costs consist of interest and credit costs, costs for plans, and central administration. The decrease in construction clients’ costs was mainly due to lower interest costs which fell by 1.2 percent. ­­­

Changes in the last year

The Construction Cost Index for multi-dwelling buildings increased by 1.0 percent between February 2025 and February 2026. Contractors’ costs rose by 1.6 percent, which led to an upward contribution to the Construction Cost Index of 1.3 percentage points. Construction clients’ costs decreased by 1.3 percent, which led to a downward contribution to the Construction Cost Index of 0.3 percentage points. The decreased construction clients’ costs were due to lower interest costs, which decreased by 6.2 percent while the cost of official employee wages increased by 3.6 percent. The remaining construction clients’ costs increased by between 0.8 percent and 2.6 percent.

Contractors’ costs for ‘wages and salaries’ and overhead costs increased by 3.3 percent and 2.5 percent respectively, while costs for machinery decreased by 0.1 percent between February 2025 and February 2026. The costs for ‘transport, fuel and electricity’ increased by 0.2 percent compared to February 2025. Within this group the cost of electricity increased by 4.3 percent while the costs of diesel oil and transport decreased by 9.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively.

Contractors’ costs for building materials increased by 0.7 percent between February 2025 and February 2026. All costs in the building material groups rose except the costs of other building materials, which fell by 2.8 percent, and the costs of electric materials and iron and steel products, which fell by 0.9 percent. The costs of wood products and material for painting rose the most, by 5.0 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively.