Azerbaijani Households Spend Over Half of Income on Food

Recent data released by the State Statistical Committee (SSC) reveals a persistent rise in the cost of living across Azerbaijan during the first four months of 2026. According to the official report, the consumer price index increased by 5.6% compared to the same period in 2025. This inflationary pressure is most acutely felt in the food sector, where prices for groceries, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco products climbed by 6.7%. Meanwhile, non-food products saw a 3.7% increase, and paid services to the population rose by 5.7%.

Economic expert Natiq Jafarli highlights a particularly concerning trend regarding consumer spending habits. Of the 20.1 billion manats spent in retail trade networks during this period, 11.2 billion manats were directed toward food, beverages, and tobacco. Jafarli notes that the average Azerbaijani citizen is now spending 50.6% of their monthly budget—roughly 50.60 manats out of every 100 manats—solely on food. He describes this as a "disgraceful figure," pointing out that in developed nations, food expenditures typically range between 9% and 20%. According to Jafarli, Azerbaijan’s current spending levels are closer to those of African nations such as Nigeria (58.9%) and Kenya (56.1%), and significantly higher than regional neighbors like Georgia (32%) and Russia (38%).

The specifics of the April price shifts show a complex market. While the prices of buckwheat, beef, mutton, sausages, cheese, and various oils saw an upward trajectory, seasonal fluctuations brought relief to the prices of eggs, onions, and certain greenhouse vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. In the non-food sector, rising costs were recorded for construction materials such as cement and timber, alongside furniture and detergents, though jewelry prices saw a slight decline.

Vahid Maharramov, an agricultural specialist, argues that the official 6.7% food inflation figure does not reflect the reality on the ground. His observations suggest that actual food inflation has reached double digits. Maharramov asserts that price increases in Azerbaijan are more than three times higher than the global average of approximately 1.8% to 1.9%. He further explains that the government may have a vested interest in reporting lower inflation figures to avoid the necessity of raising wages and pensions. According to his analysis, seasonal fruits and vegetables are currently 30% to 40% more expensive than they were during the same period last year, with strawberries and beans seeing near-doubling in price at the retail level.

The expert consensus points toward structural issues as the primary drivers of these high costs. While official bodies attribute the inflation to global economic processes and international logistics costs, independent analysts cite import dependency, a lack of domestic competition, and market monopolies as the true culprits. Maharramov notes that while farmers sell products like strawberries for 1.50 to 2.00 manats, consumers often see prices as high as 6.00 manats in the markets due to middleman markups. As purchasing power declines and unemployment remains a concern, the rising cost of basic necessities continues to be a central point of public dissatisfaction and social debate.