Every second som spent by Kyrgyz citizens goes on food

Low-income residents of Kyrgyzstan have started spending more money on food. This is according to data published by the National Statistics Committee on food security and poverty in Kyrgyzstan.

In Kyrgyzstan, the share of food expenditure among households in the second quintile — a group of the population with relatively low incomes — has increased. According to data from the National Statistics Committee, a significant portion of the family budget continues to be spent on food purchases in the first nine months of 2025.

The average total expenditure per person per month in this population group increased from 4,431 soms in 2024 to 4,461 soms in 2025. At the same time, expenditure directly on food increased more significantly — from 2,050 to 2,166 soms per person per month.

While in 2024 food accounted for about 46% of all expenses, in 2025 this figure reached 49%. This means that almost half of household expenses go towards the purchase of food.

In a number of regions, the share of food expenditure was even higher. In the Chui region, it amounted to 54.2%, an increase compared to last year, when the figure was 52.6%. Significant growth was also observed in the city of Osh, where the share of food expenditure rose from 43.9% to 56.2%.

In the Batken region, food expenses increased from 2,000 to 2,296 soms per person per month, and their share in the budget rose from 48.3% to 52.1%. In the Jalal-Abad region, the figure rose from 46.3% to 49.5%.
In Bishkek, the share of food expenses also increased, from 43.8% to 47.4%. At the same time, average food expenses increased from 1,924 to 2,177 soms per person per month.

The lowest share of food expenditure remains in the Naryn region — 34.1%. However, even there, the indicator has increased compared to last year, when it was 32.5%.