Uzbekistan: cost of living

What is the poverty rate in Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan's poverty rate was 5.8% in 2025, down from 8.9% in 2024, according to the National Statistics Committee's living standards data.

The rate is the share of the population whose consumption is below the national poverty line, which Uzbekistan adopted in 2021 based on the cost of a minimum consumer basket. It is estimated from the household budget survey, so it carries sampling error and can be revised. The national line is not the same as the World Bank's international poverty lines, so national and international rates should not be compared directly.

Official sources: National Statistics Committee: Living standards

Are food prices rising in Uzbekistan?

Food prices in Uzbekistan rose by an average of 1.9% in January to August 2026, adding 0.77 percentage points to overall inflation of 3.4% over those months, according to the National Statistics Committee. Non-food goods rose by 4.3% and services by 4.7%.

The largest contributions to price rises since December came from housing services, water, electricity and gas, from food and from transport, which together accounted for 68.3% of the increase. The CPI release for September 2026 gives monthly changes for individual products, and the committee also publishes average prices of key foods by region.

Official sources: National Statistics Committee: Socio-economic situation, January-August 2026 (PDF) · National Statistics Committee: CPI, September 2026 (PDF)

Are electricity and gas prices rising in Uzbekistan?

Housing services, water, electricity, gas and other fuels were among the three spending categories that contributed most to Uzbekistan's consumer price rises in January to August 2026, according to the National Statistics Committee's socio-economic report. With food and transport, they accounted for 2.33 of the 3.4 percentage points of inflation over the period.

Electricity and gas tariffs for households are regulated, and changes take effect on set dates, which produce steps in the index in those months. The monthly CPI release lists price changes by section, including utilities. Insurance and financial services showed the largest rise of any category since December, at 43.7%.

Official sources: National Statistics Committee: Socio-economic situation, January-August 2026 (PDF) · National Statistics Committee: CPI, September 2026 (PDF)

Are wages in Uzbekistan keeping up with prices?

Average nominal wages in Uzbekistan rose by 18.4% in the year to January-June 2026, to 7,091,100 soums a month, according to the National Statistics Committee. Over a similar period consumer prices rose by 6.4% in the year to September 2026, according to the committee's CPI release.

Comparing the two gives a rough sense of real wage growth, but the periods do not match exactly and the wage figure covers only employees of enterprises and organisations. Price rises also differ between households: those spending more on food and utilities face different inflation from the average.

Official sources: National Statistics Committee: Average monthly nominal wages, January-June 2026 (PDF) · National Statistics Committee: CPI, September 2026 (PDF)

What is the inflation rate in Uzbekistan?

In 2025, consumer price inflation in Uzbekistan was 8.8%, according to the IMF. Its high point since 2011 was 2018, at 17.5%; its low point was 2016, at 8.1%. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 3.7%, and Uzbekistan placed 4th highest of 48. Of 165 countries with 2025 data, 18th highest.

What is household spending per person in Uzbekistan?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2025, is $3,748. No year since 2010 has been higher. It is 41st highest of 44 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is $11,266. Of 124 countries with 2025 data, 65th highest.

How many people in Uzbekistan live on under $3 a day?

2.3%: that is the share of people living on less than $3.00 a day in Uzbekistan for 2025, according to the World Bank. In 2003 the figure was 93.3%.

What share of Uzbekistan lives below the poverty line?

According to the World Bank, the share of people below the national poverty line in Uzbekistan was 5.8% in 2025. No year since 2005 has been lower.

How unequal are incomes in Uzbekistan?

According to the World Bank, the Gini index in Uzbekistan was 32.7 in 2025. That compares with 35.2 in 2003.