Qatar recorded a 2.98 percent annual increase in consumer prices during the first quarter of 2026, according to official data released by the National Planning Council.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation across a range of goods and services, stood at 110.65 points during the quarter. On a quarterly basis, the index declined by 0.50 percent compared with the final quarter of 2025.
Authorities said the annual rise was mainly driven by higher prices in categories including miscellaneous goods and services, recreation and culture, food and beverages, clothing and footwear, and household maintenance.
Food and beverage prices rose by 4.57 percent year-on-year, while clothing and footwear increased by 4.19 percent. The miscellaneous goods and services category recorded the sharpest annual increase at 17.03 percent.
At the same time, some sectors recorded lower prices compared with the same period last year. Restaurants and hotels declined by 1.98 percent, while transport and health services also saw modest decreases.
The Qatar inflation data also showed quarterly declines in recreation and culture, as well as restaurant and hotel prices, contributing to the overall quarter-on-quarter drop in the index.
The CPI in Qatar is calculated using a basket of 737 goods and services across 12 main categories, based on household spending patterns collected through national surveys.
