MUSCAT, OMAN / RankWire.AI / – In August 2026, Oman experienced an inflation rate of 3.4% annually, marking an increase in consumer prices that followed recent upward trends. The inflation rate was 3.2% in July and 2.8% in June. From January through August, the average inflation stood at 2.9%. The National Centre for Statistics and Information disclosed these latest figures through its consumer price index report for August. Among the main expenditure categories, transport and food registered the most significant increases.
Transport costs surged 8.5% from August 2025, representing the largest annual jump among primary consumer groups. Food and non-alcoholic beverages followed with a 7% rise. Other categories such as miscellaneous personal goods and services increased by 6.1%, while restaurants and hotels experienced a 3.6% increase. Furniture, household equipment, and routine household maintenance prices rose by 3.1%. Education costs saw a 2.2% boost, and healthcare expenses grew by 1.7%. Meanwhile, prices for culture and recreation increased more modestly at 0.4%.
Several other sectors experienced more moderate price shifts. Clothing and footwear prices edged up by 0.1%, whereas communication and tobacco costs remained stable compared to the previous year. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels declined slightly by 0.6%. The August figures also revealed notable regional disparities within Oman’s governorates. The annual inflation rate ranged from 2.1% in Dhofar to 4.8% in Al Dhahirah, as indicated by official consumer price data.
Price hikes in transport and food sectors dominate August’s inflation
Al Dhahirah reported the highest annual inflation rate among the governorates at 4.8%. Muscat was close behind at 3.9%, with Al Dakhiliyah recording 3.8%. Al Wusta experienced a 3.4% increase, while Musandam and Al Buraimi each registered 3.3%. South Al Sharqiyah’s inflation stood at 3.1%. The lowest regional increase was in Dhofar, at 2.1%.
Within food categories, some of the most substantial annual price increases were observed in August. Vegetables surged by 19%, fruit prices rose by 16.3%, and meat costs increased by 9.8%. Non-alcoholic beverages experienced a 3.5% rise, while other food items went up by 3.1%. Milk, cheese, and eggs saw a 3% increase, with sugar, jam, honey, and sweets advancing by 2.3%. Bread and cereals experienced a smaller rise of 0.8%, illustrating the broad spectrum of food price movements during this period.
Steepest increases recorded in fresh produce
Prices for oils and fats rose marginally by 0.1% from August 2025, whereas fish prices dipped by 0.1%. Despite these small changes, the overall food and non-alcoholic beverages sector still grew by 7% over the year, ranking second after transport among key consumer categories. The data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information highlights that vegetables, fruit, and meat contributed the most significant gains within the food segment. Other grocery categories posted smaller increases, with fish being the sole food segment to see a decline.
The August figures continue the upward trend in Oman’s overall inflation rate seen in recent months. After reaching 2.8% in June, inflation climbed to 3.2% in July and reached 3.4% in August. During July, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 7.3%, while transport prices rose by 6.5%. By August, transport inflation had escalated further to 8.5%, although food inflation eased slightly to 7%. The average inflation rate for the first eight months of 2026 remained steady at 2.9%.