In Tajikistan, food expenses account for more than a third of household budgets — 37.1%, making it the highest proportion spent on food among all Central Asian and CIS countries. This data comes from the international statistics platform Numbeo, which analyzed consumer spending patterns across the post-Soviet space.
According to the report, the bulk of spending in the region goes toward basic needs — food and housing. Expenditures on clothing, transportation, sports, and entertainment are significantly lower, reflecting a focus on essential living expenses.
In Tajikistan, food remains the largest expense category at 37.1%. Housing rent accounts for 20.5%, restaurant visits — 15%, transportation — 11.1%, and utility bills — 5%.
The lowest spending goes toward clothing and footwear (6.4%) and sports and leisure (4.9%).
A similar spending pattern is observed in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, where food and housing also dominate household budgets. In Kyrgyzstan, food accounts for 28.5% of expenses and rent — 25.9%. In Kazakhstan, these figures are 29.6% and 23.3%, respectively. Restaurant spending ranges from 15 to 18%, transport — around 10–14%, and utilities — no more than 5%.
In Turkmenistan, food expenses reach 35.1%, and in Uzbekistan — 30%. However, Turkmenistan has a higher share of spending on utilities (12.8%), while Uzbekistan leads in sports and leisure spending (7.2%) — the highest in Central Asia.
Other CIS countries show similar spending trends. In Russia, 29% of household budgets go to food, 21.8% to rent, and 17.6% to dining out. In Belarus, the shares are 29.3%, 22.9%, and 19.2%, respectively.
In Azerbaijan and Armenia, the main household expenses are also food, rent, and restaurants — together accounting for over 60% of the average family budget, indicating similar consumer priorities across the region.
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