Muscat – Oman’s annual inflation rate rose to 2.0% in February, up from 1.4% in January, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The increase in inflation was primarily driven by rises in several key expenditure groups, notably miscellaneous goods and services, food, restaurants and hotels, and furnishings and household items.

Data showed that the miscellaneous goods and services group recorded the largest year-on-year price increase in February, climbing 13.4% and remaining the main contributor to overall inflation. This was followed by restaurants and hotels, where prices rose by 5.7%, and the furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance group, which increased by 3.0% compared with the same month last year.

The food and non-alcoholic beverages group, which carries the largest weight in the consumer basket, recorded a 2.8% rise in February compared with February 2025.

Within food items, prices showed mixed movements: vegetable prices rose the most at 8.3%, followed by fruit at 5.4%. Prices of non-alcoholic beverages increased by 2.9%, sugar, jam, honey and confectionery by 3.1%, meat by 1.6%, milk, cheese and eggs by 2.1%, bread and cereals by 0.4%, and fish by 2.9%.

Other expenditure groups also recorded moderate price increases. The transport group rose by 0.2%, education by 2.2%, and health by 1.7%. Prices in the recreation and culture group increased by 0.2%, while clothing and footwear edged up slightly by 0.1%.

Meanwhile, prices in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels group remained unchanged year-on-year, as did prices in the communication and tobacco groups.

At the governorate level, Dhahirah recorded the highest annual inflation rate in February at 3.0%, followed by Muscat at 2.5%. Inflation in Dhofar and North Al Batinah stood at 1.0%.

The statistics also indicated that the average inflation rate in the sultanate during the first two months of 2026 reached 1.7%, with the miscellaneous goods and services group posting an average increase of 13.3% during January–February, reflecting continued upward pressure in that category.

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