Сугра Алиева
Following the official statistics, the level of food inflation for August in Nur-Sultan city was 1.9%, and in Almaty – 1.6%. Food prices from May to August 2022 increased in the capital by 4.2%, and in Almaty by 3.7%.
According to Jusan big-data, prices for August increased by 0.3% in Nur-Sultan and 0.4% in Almaty city. In May-August, the personal inflation rate in the capital was equal to 9.5% and 6.4% in Almaty.
Thus, over the 3 observed months, prices in Nur-Sultan have increased more than in Almaty city. At the same time, prices for most food groups are noticeably higher in Almaty in absolute terms.
In August 2022, there was an increase in the Dastarkhan Index for a resident:
- of the capital:
- Jusan big-data: 211 servings (▲ 15 servings compared to the results of July, and compared to May – the beginning of the observation window ▼ 7 servings);
- official statistics: 233 servings (▲ 16 and ▲ 14 servings).
- of Almaty city:
- Jusan big-data: 153 servings (▲ 12 and ▼ 11 servings);
- official statistics: 219 servings (▲ 16 and ▲ 14 servings).
A significant increase, according to Jusan big-data compared to July of this year, is due to an increase in the average level of wages and a simultaneous reduction in the cost of products. However, in comparison with May, the deterioration of the Dastarkhan Index persists due to the outpacing growth rates of the grocery basket cost – by 10.9% in Nur–Sultan and 15.1% in Almaty – over the growth of the income level for the corresponding period.
The Index based on the official data has improved due to slower growth in grocery basket cost – by 0.6% in the capital, 0.3% in Almaty city – than our sample demonstrates.
According to the results of August, a grocery basket cost in Nur-Sultan city is:
- Jusan big-data: 1 860 tenge (▼ 0.1% for the month, and ▲ 10.9% compared to May).
- Official statistics: 1 685 tenge (▼ 3% and ▲ 0.6%).
Thus, according to our calculations, a grocery basket cost in the capital is 10.4% higher than official statistics.
The cost of products in Nur-Sultan, taking into account the required weight for cooking a set of dishes, tenge
| Jusan big-data | official statistics | deviation | |
| meat | 1356 | 1181 | 14.8% |
| vegetables | 146 | 141 | 3.7% |
| Sunflower oil and butter | 125 | 133 | -6.3% |
| eggs | 8 | 8 | 2.4% |
| flour and cereals | 111 | 135 | -17.7% |
| milk | 22 | 18 | 23.6% |
| sugar | 17 | 19 | -11.0% |
| other (yeast and tea) | 75 | 50 | 51.5% |
And a grocery basket cost in Almaty city is:
- Jusan big-data: 2 291 tenge (▼ 8% for the month, ▲ 15.1% compared to May).
- Official statistics: 1 604 tenge (▼ 5% and ▲ 0.3%).
Thus, according to our calculations, a grocery basket cost in the capital is 10.4% higher than official statistics.
The cost of products in Almaty, taking into account the required weight for cooking a set of dishes, tenge
| Jusan big-data | official statistics | deviation | |
| meat | 1700 | 1123 | 51.4% |
| vegetables | 170 | 136 | 24.5% |
| Sunflower oil and butter | 181 | 124 | 45.2% |
| eggs | 8 | 8 | 9.4% |
| flour and cereals | 106 | 116 | -8.4% |
| milk | 25 | 23 | 5.1% |
| sugar | 19 | 23 | -15.8% |
| other (yeast and tea) | 82 | 50 | 64.4% |
Interactive charts with detailed dynamics of the Dastarkhan Index and the grocery basket cost at: https://jusananalytics.kz/en/dastarhan/
Additionally
According to August data, the Dastarkhan Index for recipients of pension payments equals:
- for a resident of the capital:
- Jusan big-data: 58 servings (▼ 5 servings compared to the results of July, and compared to May – the beginning of the observation window ▼ 5 servings);
- official statistics: 64 servings (▼ 6 servings and ▲ 1 serving).
- for a resident of Almaty:
- Jusan big–data: 47 servings (▼ 4 servings and ▼ 6 servings);
- official statistics: 68 servings (▼ 5 servings and ▼ 2 servings).
We can see a noticeable deterioration that is due to a reduction in the average pension size in Kazakhstan by 7.1% per month from 117,469 tenge to 109,156 tenge (data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan as of August 1, 2022) and previously noted changes in the grocery basket cost for cooking a set of dishes.
