MUSCAT, OMAN / RankWire.AI / – The inflation rate in Oman for the year reached 3.4% in August 2026, reflecting an upward trend in consumer prices. The rate was 3.2% in July and 2.8% in June. From January to August, the average inflation stood at 2.9%. The National Centre for Statistics and Information provided these latest figures in its consumer price index report for August. Among the main expenditure categories, transport and food experienced the most significant increases.
Transport costs climbed by 8.5% compared to August 2025, marking the largest yearly rise among major consumer groups. Food and non-alcoholic beverages followed with a 7% increase. Expenses for miscellaneous personal goods and services increased by 6.1%, while restaurants and hotels saw a 3.6% rise. Furniture, household equipment, and routine household maintenance costs grew by 3.1%. Education expenses moved up by 2.2%, and healthcare costs rose by 1.7%. Prices for culture and recreation saw a smaller increase of 0.4%.
Other categories experienced more modest changes. Clothing and footwear prices saw a slight increase of 0.1%, whereas communication and tobacco costs remained stable from the previous year. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels declined by 0.6%. The August figures also revealed notable disparities across Oman’s governorates, with annual inflation rates ranging from 2.1% in Dhofar to 4.8% in Al Dhahirah, according to official consumer price data.
Transport and Food Lead Price Growth in August
Al Dhahirah experienced the highest annual inflation rate among the governorates at 4.8%. Muscat followed at 3.9%, and Al Dakhiliyah registered 3.8%. Al Wusta posted a 3.4% increase, while Musandam and Al Buraimi each recorded 3.3%. South Al Sharqiyah’s rate was 3.1%. South Al Batinah reached 2.7%, with North Al Batinah at 2.5%, and North Al Sharqiyah at 2.2%. Dhofar maintained the lowest inflation rate at 2.1%.
Food prices exhibited some of the most significant annual increases within the August basket. Vegetables surged by 19%, fruit prices rose by 16.3%, and meat costs went up by 9.8%. Non-alcoholic beverages gained 3.5%, while other food items increased by 3.1%. Milk, cheese, and eggs experienced a 3% rise, and sugar, jam, honey, and sweets advanced by 2.3%. Bread and cereals increased by 0.8%, illustrating the broad spectrum of price movements within the food sector.
Vegetables and Fruits See the Sharpest Price Hikes
Prices for oils and fats grew by 0.1% since August 2025, whereas fish prices dropped slightly by 0.1%. Overall, the food and non-alcoholic beverages category increased by 7% over the year, ranking just behind transport as the leading contributor to consumer inflation. Data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information indicated that vegetables, fruits, and meats were the main drivers of food-related price hikes. Several other grocery segments experienced smaller increases, with fish being the only listed food category to see a decline.
The August inflation figures continue the upward momentum seen in Oman’s headline inflation rate in recent months. The rate climbed from 2.8% in June to 3.2% in July, reaching 3.4% in August. In July, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 7.3%, while transport prices were up by 6.5%. By August, transport inflation had risen further 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%.