In Kazakhstan, from January to August 2026, certain medications have risen in price by more than 60% compared to the same period last year, reports infohub.kz.
According to the Bureau of National Statistics, the most notable increase was for activated charcoal, up 66.7%. Acetylsalicylic acid rose by 61.3%, paracetamol by 52.3%. No-Spa increased by 37.6%, Smecta by 29.8%, and Corvalol by 29.6%. Also more expensive were Omez (up 22.9%), Hilak Forte (up 21.2%), and Magne B6 (up 20.7%).
Overall, the category of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and apparatus rose by 2.2% in August compared to July. Year-on-year, i.e., compared to August 2025, the increase was 20.8%.
Gas became 29.5% more expensive in August compared to the previous month. Since the beginning of the year, its cost has risen by 34.9%. The broader category of gas, including various types of fuel, rose by 24% over the month. Meanwhile, liquefied gas in cylinders increased by only 0.4%.
The cost of renting improved housing increased by 4.6% in August. Compared to December 2025, the increase is 8.6%. Overall, housing services, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels rose by 3.5% over the month. Electricity became 0.9% more expensive, hot water by 1%, cold water by 0.5%. The price of central heating remained unchanged.
Overall inflation in August was 0.6%, and since the beginning of 2026, it has been 6.4%. On an annual basis, the figure reached 9.8%. Paid services rose by 1.2% over the month, non-food goods by 0.8%. Food products, on the whole, decreased by 0.1%.
Among non-food goods, personal electrical appliances rose by 4.6%, information and communication equipment by 3.8%. Glassware, tableware, and household utensils increased by 2.2%.
In the food segment, meat rose by 0.6%, cereals and grain products by 0.5%, dairy products, cheese, and eggs by 0.3%. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products rose by 2.1%. Fruits and vegetables became cheaper by 3.6%, and the category of purchasing motor vehicles decreased by 1.8%. Transport services overall fell by 0.6%.