According to data from the “Numbeo” platform, in Central Asian countries, the majority of household spending goes toward food and housing. Other expenses — such as clothing, transport, sports, and recreation — account for a much smaller share. This indicates that most families in the region primarily focus on meeting their essential needs.
Tajikistan leads in food expenditures, with 37% of household budgets spent on food. Rent makes up 20%, restaurants 15%, and transport 11%. Spending on clothing and leisure is the lowest — around 6% and 5%, respectively.
Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan show a similar pattern: food and housing together make up nearly half of total household expenses. In Kyrgyzstan, food accounts for 28%, rent 25%, while in Kazakhstan these figures are 30% and 23%.
In Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the situation is also comparable. In Turkmenistan, 35% of income is spent on food and nearly 30% on housing. In Uzbekistan, spending on sports and leisure is higher — 7%, the highest figure in Central Asia.
In other CIS countries, spending structures remain similar. In Russia, food expenses account for 29% of the budget, in Belarus — 29.3%, while in Armenia and Azerbaijan, combined spending on food, rent, and restaurants exceeds 60% of family budgets.
Experts note that these figures indicate most Central Asian households still spend the bulk of their income on essential living needs.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
