GUANGZHOU: A sharp drop in Guangdong's cost of living has led to a drop in inflation in the province.

The consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation, fell 1.9 percent in Guangdong year on year, making the province experience its first negative CPI growth since 2003, the provincial survey office under the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.

In the first quarter, the province's cost of living fell 7.7 percent compared to the previous year, the office said.