According to the 2025 results, Uzbekistan’s consumer price index rose by 7.3% over the year. December alone added 0.9 percentage points to the overall figure, with both the food segment and the services market showing active movement. This was reported by upl.uzreports.
In December, the biggest swings were seen in food: prices rose by 1.5% in a month, while the accumulated increase over the year reached 5.5%. Seasonality made itself felt again—eggplants and cucumbers became nearly 56% more expensive compared to November, and tomato prices rose by a quarter. Bell peppers and cabbage were also among the leaders, adding 22.9% and 22.8%, respectively.
Among staple goods, December’s “champion” was eggs—prices increased by 3.4%. In meat and bread, the rise was relatively calm: bread, beef, and lamb each added 0.5%. In markets across the country, the average beef price increased by about 500–1,000 soums per kilogram, while poultry products became 0.2–0.6% more expensive depending on the segment.
In December, some items moved in the opposite direction and fell: carrots dropped by 7.5%, citrus fruits by 2.4%, and sugar by 2.3%. Rice declined by 1.8%, and sunflower oil, which had been rising for a long time, became 0.5% cheaper.
On an annual basis, the picture is different: over 12 months, lamb rose by 26.8% and boneless beef by 25%. The biggest annual increases were recorded for citrus fruits (+33%) and cabbage (+32%). At the same time, rice became 16.6% cheaper year-on-year, and bell peppers fell by 15%.
In 2025, the main “driver” of inflationary pressure was the services sector: by year-end, growth in this area reached nearly 14%, with December contributing 0.7%. Mobile communication tariffs stood out—up 4.9% on average in December and 15.1% over the year.
The sharpest annual changes were in housing and коммунal services: pipeline gas rose by 39.2%, drinking water and sewerage services increased by 35%. Household waste removal went up by 32.5%, while electricity became 18.8% more expensive.
Education services were not left aside either: kindergarten fees increased by 17% over the year, while tutoring and language course prices rose by 6.6%. Pressure was also felt in transport—air tickets became 21.7% more expensive, and city bus fares rose by 21.1%.
In the fuel market, gasoline prices rose by 2.4% in December, and fuel was up 11.9% year-on-year. At gas stations, the price range is as follows: AI-80 — 9,500–9,900 soums, AI-91/AI-92 — 10,500–13,300 soums, and high-octane AI-100 reached up to 21,000 soums per liter.
Methane became 30% more expensive over the year, while propane—despite rising in December—ended the year 10.5% cheaper than at the end of last year. In the non-food segment, jewelry also rose noticeably—prices for rings made of precious metals increased by 28.7% over the year.
To maintain stability in markets, price controls on socially important goods are continuing—the goal is to prevent unjustified speculation. It was also noted earlier that in November, the public’s inflation expectations fell to one of the lowest levels in recent years, reaching 11.8%.
In Uzbekistan, there is one “classic benchmark” among people: the price of bread is seen by many as an unofficial but most accurate indicator of inflation—sometimes it inspires more trust than the official “consumer basket” figures.
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