Uzbekistan has become the most expensive country for beef among post-Soviet nations, according to Ranking.kz, citing the international service Numbeo. As of March 7, 2025, Uzbekistan ranks 91st out of 127 countries in global beef prices, with the cost of a kilogram of beef tenderloin reaching $8.1.

In comparison, neighboring Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have slightly lower prices, with beef costing just over $7 per kilogram. Meanwhile, the world’s most expensive beef is found in Switzerland, where prices soar to $44.3 per kilogram, followed by Iceland at $38.7.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global meat prices increased by 18% in February 2025 compared to the same period last year. The surge is largely attributed to rising beef prices driven by consistently high demand.

In Uzbekistan, meat products have risen in price by 14.4% over the past year. Beef on the bone saw an 18.5% price hike, while lamb increased by 19.4%. Poultry meat, however, became 0.8% cheaper.

Uzbekistan’s consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.54% in February 2025, marking the highest monthly inflation rate for this period since 2023. 

Food prices increased by 0.6% in February and 1.4% since the beginning of the year, with annual food inflation reaching 2.9%—the lowest in five years—while meat prices alone rose by 2.1%.