MUSCAT, OMAN / RankWire.AI / – The National Centre for Statistics and Information announced that Oman’s annual inflation rate reached 3.4% in August 2026, marking a continued increase in consumer prices. The inflation rate was 3.2% in July and 2.8% in June, with the average inflation for January through August standing at 2.9%. The latest data comes from the center’s consumer price index report for August, highlighting significant rises in the transport and food sectors as the strongest contributors among the main expenditure categories.
Transport prices saw an 8.5% increase from August 2025, representing the highest annual growth among key consumer groups. Food and non-alcoholic beverages followed closely with a 7% rise. Miscellaneous personal goods and services climbed 6.1%, while restaurant and hotel costs increased by 3.6%. Prices for furniture, household equipment, and routine household maintenance gained 3.1%. Education costs rose by 2.2%, health expenses increased 1.7%, and prices for culture and recreation went up by a smaller 0.4%.
Price movements in several other categories were more subdued. Clothing and footwear saw a marginal increase of 0.1%, and communication and tobacco prices remained stable compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels experienced a decline of 0.6%. The August figures also revealed notable regional differences across Oman’s governorates. The official consumer price data indicated that annual inflation ranged from 2.1% in Dhofar to 4.8% in Al Dhahirah.
Transport and Food Prices Lead August Inflation Surge
Al Dhahirah recorded the highest annual inflation rate at 4.8%, followed by Muscat at 3.9%, and Al Dakhiliyah at 3.8%. Al Wusta’s inflation stood at 3.4%, with Musandam and Al Buraimi each at 3.3%. South Al Sharqiyah registered an increase of 3.1%. South Al Batinah experienced a 2.7% rise, North Al Batinah grew by 2.5%, and North Al Sharqiyah saw a 2.2% increase. Dhofar recorded the lowest rate at 2.1%.
Within food prices, some of the most significant yearly increases were observed in vegetables, which rose by 19%. Fruit prices went up by 16.3%, while meat costs increased by 9.8%. Non-alcoholic beverages experienced a 3.5% rise, and other food items grew by 3.1%. Milk, cheese, and eggs saw a 3% increase, with sugar, jam, honey, and sweets advancing 2.3%. Bread and cereals experienced a smaller uptick of 0.8%, illustrating the diverse range of price changes within the food category.
Vegetables and Meat Lead the Price Increases in Food
Oils and fats increased just 0.1% from August 2025, while fish prices declined by 0.1%. Nonetheless, the overall food and non-alcoholic beverages sector still climbed 7% over the year, ranking second after transport in terms of main consumer expense categories. The data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information pointed to vegetables, fruit, and meat as the primary contributors to the recent food inflation. Several other grocery categories recorded smaller increases, with fish being the only listed food segment to see a decline.
The August inflation figures continued the upward trend seen in Oman’s headline inflation rate during recent months. The rate increased from 2.8% in June to 3.2% in July and reached 3.4% in August. In July, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 7.3%, while transport costs were 6.5% higher. By August, transport inflation had further risen to 8.5%, with food inflation easing slightly to 7%. The average inflation rate for the first eight months of 2026 remained steady at 2.9%.