How prices changed in August: new inflation data in Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan's annual inflation rate slowed to 9.8 percent in August 2026. Prices rose by 0.6 percent over the month, citing the Ministry of National Economy.

For comparison, monthly inflation in August last year stood at 1 percent, according to the ministry. Thus, the pace of price growth was 0.4 percentage points lower.

The Ministry of Economy noted that the primary driver behind the inflation slowdown remains the decelerating growth of food prices. Annual food inflation in August reached 9.5 percent, down from 10.1 percent in July.

Meanwhile, prices for socially significant food products rose by 2.1 percent over the year. A year earlier, price growth for this category was 9.5 percent.

The ministry attributes this trend to a range of price containment measures. Specifically, the list of socially significant food items was expanded from 19 to 31 positions. Authorities are also monitoring compliance with a 15 percent cap on retail markups, identifying unproductive intermediaries, and taking steps to saturate the domestic market with local products while ensuring food affordability.

The Ministry of National Economy added that inflation continues to slow despite the liberalization of the fuel and lubricants market and the expiration of the moratorium on utility tariff increases.

As a reminder, the government expects the inflation ceiling in 2027 to be 9.5 percent. This figure is designated as the upper limit in the country's new socio-economic development plan.