Uzbekistan Inflation Slows to 7.1% in March 2026

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Annual inflation in Uzbekistan slowed to 7.1% in March 2026, down from 10.3% in March 2025, according to data from the National Statistics Committee. The monthly consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.6%, while prices have increased by 1.9% since the beginning of the year.

The main driver of inflation remained the food sector. In March, the CPI for food products and non-alcoholic beverages reached 101.2%, accounting for 76.2% of the total monthly increase—0.48 percentage points out of the overall 0.6%.

Among staple goods, the largest monthly increases were recorded for eggs, up 2.1% (+17.0% year-on-year), sugar and fresh fish, both up 1.7%, bone-in beef up 1.8% (+15.1% year-on-year), and lamb and boneless beef, both up 1.2%.

Vegetable oils rose by an average of 0.9% (+13.3% year-on-year), flour by 0.6%, and milk by 0.3%. Prices for the most affordable beef increased by up to 5,000 soums per kilogram on average nationwide, affecting both imported and domestically produced products. Meanwhile, rice and cereals declined by 0.4% over the month, and poultry meat prices fell by 0.3–0.4%.

In the fruit and vegetable segment, price dynamics were mixed. Tomatoes recorded the sharpest increase, up 11.5%, followed by bell peppers (+10.0%), potatoes (+9.8%), pumpkins (+9.4%), apples (+7.4%), bananas (+6.0%), and citrus fruits (+2.7% on average).

At the same time, fresh cucumbers dropped by 20.7%, cabbage by 4.7%, onions by 4.6%, and carrots by 1.0%. Excluding fruit and vegetables, the monthly CPI stood at 100.5% compared to 100.9% in March last year, while the annual rate reached 107.8% versus 112.5%.

In the housing and utilities sector, tariff increases in March affected only household waste collection, which rose by 0.9% (+28.7% year-on-year). Electricity, gas, and water supply tariffs remained unchanged. Prices for construction and repair materials increased by 0.5% (+7.0% year-on-year), housing repair services rose by 0.9% (+6.6%), and rent edged up by 0.2% (+2.2%).

In healthcare, pharmaceutical products rose by 0.7% (+4.6% year-on-year), diagnostic and laboratory services by 0.8% (+9.7%), and outpatient services by 0.2% (+6.7%).

The transport sector exerted a moderating effect on overall inflation, reducing it by 0.02 percentage points. Consumer prices for gasoline fell by an average of 0.9% while maintaining an annual increase of 9.2%: AI-92 declined by 0.9%, AI-95 by 1.3%, and AI-98 and AI-100 by 0.5%. Propane prices dropped by 3.2% (+9.6% year-on-year), with an upper price limit of 8,400 soums per liter.

Methane prices remained unchanged from February but were still 30.3% higher than in March 2025. Airfares decreased by an average of 4.1%, and long-distance train tickets by 0.5%, reflecting the strengthening of the national currency against the euro and Swiss franc.

At the same time, international bus fares rose by 1.4%, taxi services by 0.4%, and freight transport by an average of 0.4%. Maintenance services for personal vehicles increased by 0.9% (+7.0% year-on-year), while parking fees rose by 0.7% (+12.6%).

In education, fees for private kindergartens increased by 0.8% (+4.8% year-on-year), while language courses rose by 0.1% (+5.0%).

By category, the monthly CPI for goods stood at 100.8%, including 101.2% for food and 100.3% for non-food items, while services reached 100.2%. On an annual basis, services rose by 12.7%, significantly lower than 27.1% recorded in March 2025.

Among individual items, the highest annual price increase was observed for rings made of precious metals at 129.7%, while the lowest was for toothbrushes at 100.3%. No significant regional deviations from the national average were recorded in either monthly or annual CPI indicators.