According to a survey conducted by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan among the population, perceived inflation in February decreased by 0.1 percentage points compared to December, reaching 11.6%. This indicator reflects a slight decline in inflation, but it remains at an elevated level, suggesting ongoing economic pressures and challenges in price stability.

Regionally, inflation was unevenly distributed: the highest price increases were recorded in Tashkent City (13.3%) and Andijan Region (12.9%), while the lowest perceived inflation was noted in Karakalpakstan (10.0%). This disparity underscores regional economic differences and price dynamics that may exacerbate social inequalities and hinder balanced development.

Inflation perceptions varied across occupational groups: workers in cafe and restaurant services (13.0%), construction (12.8%), and state organizations (12.7%) reported the highest inflation, while education sector representatives indicated the lowest (10.4%). This highlights the impact of service sector changes and wage adjustments on public sentiment, with certain professions bearing a heavier burden from rising costs.

By income level, inflation was unevenly formed among population groups: individuals with incomes above 7 million soums and those without income experienced inflation above the national average, whereas high-income groups saw a notable decrease. For instance, in the group with incomes of 10-15 million soums, perceived inflation fell to 13.8% (from 14.1% in January), and for those with 15-20 million soums, it dropped to 12% (from 15.5% in January).

In February, respondents reported that prices for main types of goods and services mostly decreased or remained unchanged. The most significant price drops were observed for gasoline and fuel, electricity and natural gas, and road rental and transportation services, with prices for medicines and vegetable oil also relatively declining. The share of respondents noting price increases for meat and dairy products (47%) did not change significantly from the previous month and remains high, while reports of price hikes for fruits and vegetables, eggs, sugar, and confectionery products increased.

Source: www.gazeta.uz