Saturday 28 / March / 2026
Muscat: The general consumer price index in the Sultanate of Oman rose by 2 percent in February 2026 compared to the same month in 2025, according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, using 2018 as the base year.
The data showed that average inflation increased by 1.7 percent during the period from January to February 2026.
Among the main expenditure groups, miscellaneous personal goods and services recorded the highest increase at 13.4 percent, followed by restaurants and hotels at 5.7 percent, furniture, household equipment and maintenance at 3 percent, food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.8 percent, and education at 2.2 percent.
Prices in the health group rose by 1.7 percent, while transport, culture and entertainment each increased by 0.2 percent.
Clothing and footwear recorded a marginal rise of 0.1 percent. In contrast, prices in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, communications, and tobacco remained largely unchanged.
Within the food and non-alcoholic beverages category, vegetables recorded the highest increase at 8.3 percent, followed by fruits at 5.4 percent, and sugar, jam, honey and sweets at 3.1 percent.
Other increases were seen in fish and seafood and non-alcoholic beverages (2.9 percent each), milk, cheese and eggs (2.1 percent), meat (1.6 percent), other food products (1.5 percent), oils and fats (0.7 percent), and bread and cereals (0.4 percent).
At the governorate level, inflation rates varied across the Sultanate. Al Dhahirah Governorate recorded the highest increase at 3 percent, followed by Muscat Governorate at 2.5 percent, Al Buraimi Governorate at 2.3 percent, and Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate at 2 percent. South Al Batinah Governorate and Musandam Governorate each recorded 1.7 percent, while South Al Sharqiyah Governorate registered 1.3 percent.
The governorates of North Al Batinah, North Al Sharqiyah, Al Wusta, and Dhofar each recorded an inflation rate of 1 percent.
