Meat, dairy, and energy drive February inflation perceptions above 15%

The average perceived price increase over the past twelve months was 15.1%, up by 0.4% from the previous month. The median figure rose by just 0.1 percentage points, reaching 11.8%.

The highest perceived inflation was recorded in Tashkent at 19%, a 3% increase from January. Following closely were Fergana region (18.2%) and Tashkent region (17.1%). The lowest estimates came from Navoi region (12.6%), Jizzakh region (12.8%), and Syrdarya region (13%).

By sector, the most significant perceived inflation was observed in manufacturing (16.6%), education (16.1%), and IT and the public sector (15.7%). Lower perceptions were noted in the food service industry (12.5%), tourism (13.1%), and among students (13.7%).

Consistent with previous surveys, citizens with higher incomes reported greater price increases. Those earning 15 million UZS or more per month perceived inflation at 19.8%, while the 10–15 million UZS income bracket estimated it at 17.2%.

In contrast, households with incomes below 5 million UZS provided below-average estimates. Individuals earning 2–3 million UZS reported 13.7%, while those earning less than 2 million UZS cited 14.4%.

Compared to January, a significantly higher proportion of respondents - 57% - noted price hikes in meat and dairy products. Meanwhile, the share of those highlighting increases in electricity and gas prices slightly declined to 39%, and gasoline to 37%.

Other goods and services perceived as more expensive included fruits and vegetables (32%), medications (30%), transportation (25%), and vegetable oil (22%). Bread, flour, confectionery, and educational services were the least frequently mentioned, each at 11%.