Residents of Uzbekistan are facing yet another blow to their household budgets as utility costs are set to rise significantly. The Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services has published a draft government decree proposing a steep increase in heating and hot water tariffs across the entire republic, slated to take effect on November 1, 2026. This initiative has sparked widespread concern among citizens amid ongoing economic challenges.

Authorities claim that this continuous wave of price hikes is supposedly mandated by a presidential decree issued in March 2025. Supposedly, the policy aims to gradually eliminate subsidized utility rates for the population, bringing heating services up to full cost-recovery levels by 2030. Critics and observers note that such measures place an increasingly heavy financial strain on ordinary families.

According to the published draft, utility rates in the capital city of Tashkent are projected to jump by 30 percent. Specifically, the price for thermal energy will reach 203,636 soms per 1 Gkal, a substantial increase from the current 156,643 soms. Meanwhile, residential heating will cost 314 soms per square meter daily, up from 241 soms previously.

Furthermore, hot water tariffs will see similar upward adjustments, further tightening household finances. For homes equipped with meters, the cost of one cubic meter of hot water will rise to 11,607 soms, while unmetered consumers will face monthly charges of 45,330 soms per person. Officials previously raised heating and hot water prices in Tashkent in November 2025, demonstrating a persistent trend of escalating utility costs.

Source: kun.uz